“Don’t take the kitten out, Marie,” cried Flossie, “I’m making her practise her lesson.”

“Eh, bien!  In this great mansion where all do so much learning have, even the petite cat must an education get!  What more astounding could one behold?”

“I want to make her learn the song Uncle Harry sang last night.  Did you hear him sing, Marie?  Wasn’t his voice sweet?”

“Ah, well did I the music hear.  The sweet sounds did up the stairway float, and I did say:  ’He is one beau gallant!  His voice the rock would melt!  Many hearts he must broken have before he loved Madame Vera who now his wife is.’”

“I don’t know what you mean, Marie,” Flossie said, “but I do know I love him, and I love to hear him sing.”

“Oh, I could listen the day and the night when he music makes,” the maid replied, and Flossie was satisfied.

A moment later Mollie, in great excitement, ran over to call for Flossie.

“Oh, do you know, Dorothy’s mamma told my mamma that there’s to be a great party at the stone house, and all of Dorothy’s friends are to be invited.  Now aren’t you glad I came over to tell you?”

“When is it to be?  I guess I am glad, Mollie Merton, and so will everybody be.  When is the party to be?” she repeated, her blue eyes shining, and her little feet restlessly dancing.

“I don’t know just when, but I guess it’s pretty soon, and it’s to be different from any party we ever went to.  I don’t know just how different; that part is a secret, but we are to know as soon as the invitations are ready.”

“Oh, we ’most can’t wait,” said Flossie.

Of course the delightful news travelled, and by Monday morning every child in town knew that there was to be a grand party at the great stone house, but no one could find out just what sort of party it was to be.  Even Dorothy could not enlighten them.  “It’s to be fine,” she said, “and different from any party I ever had, but mamma doesn’t wish me to tell anything about it.”

“Won’t she let you tell Nancy?” questioned Katie Dean.

“Nancy knows now!” declared Reginald; “just look at her!”

Indeed Nancy’s dark eyes were merry, and her voice rippled with laughter, as she said: 

“I do know, and I’m going to keep the secret, but it’s the hardest one I ever tried to keep.”

At recess they walked arm-in-arm, talking of the party instead of playing games.  They were chattering so gaily that they heard no one approach, and when suddenly Patricia Lavine peeped over the wall, they were startled, and wondered how she could have appeared without any one having seen her coming.

“Why, Patricia!  Where’d you come from?” said Mollie.

“Oh, I was walking along and came over because I heard you talking.  Whose party is it going to be?” she asked.

“Dorothy is to have the party,” said Jeanette, “but why aren’t you in school?”