Two Little Women on a Holiday | Page 4

Forbes. "She's the right sort of a mother
for the girl. I hope she will decide to let Dolly go, but if not, I quite
understand her hesitancy, and I respect and admire her for it. Bernice
can take somebody else, and I trust you will not try over hard to
influence Mrs. Fayre in Dolly's favour. If anything untoward should
happen, I should never forgive myself. I would far rather the children
were disappointed than to have Mrs. Fayre persuaded against her better
judgment."
The Forbeses departed, and then Dotty Rose went home, too.
"Oh, Dollyrinda," she whispered as they stood in the hall, "do you
s'pose your mother'll EVER say yes?"

"I don't believe so," replied Dolly mournfully. "But, oh, Dot, how I do
want to go! Seems 'sif I never wanted anything so much in all my life!"
"You don't want to go a bit more than I want to have you. Why,
Dollops, I shan't go, if you don't."
"Oh, yes, you will, Dotty. You must. It would be silly not to."
"But I couldn't! I just COULDN'T. Do you s'pose I could have one
single bit of fun going to places without you? And knowing you were
here at home, longing to be with us! No-sir-ee! I just couldn't pos-
SIB-ly! So just you remember that, old girl; no Dolly,--no Dotty! And
that's SURE!"
There was a ring in Dotty's voice that proclaimed an unshakable
determination, and Dolly knew it. She knew that no coaxing of Bernice
or even of Dolly herself, could make Dotty go without her chum.
For chums these two were, in the deepest sense of the word. They were
together all that was possible during their waking hours. They studied
together, worked and played together, and occupied together their little
house, built for them, and called Treasure House.
Dolly knew she couldn't enjoy going anywhere without Dotty, and she
knew Dot felt the same way about her. But this was such a big,
splendid opportunity, that she hated to have Dotty miss it, even if she
couldn't go herself. The two girls said good-night, and Dolly went back
to her family in the library.
"I hate terribly to disappoint you, Dolly darling," began her mother, and
the tears welled up in Dolly's blue eyes. This beginning meant a
negative decision, that was self evident, but Dolly Fayre was plucky by
nature and she was not the sort that whines at disappointment.
"All right," she said, striving to be cheerful, and blinking her eyes
quickly to keep those tears back.
"Now, look here, Edith," said Mr. Fayre, "I don't believe I can stand

this. I don't differ with you regarding the children, but I do think you
might let Dolly go on this party. Even if it does take a week out of
school, she'll get enough general information and experience from a
week in the city to make up."
"That's just it, Will. But the experiences she gets there may not be the
best possible for a little girl of fifteen."
"Oh, fifteen isn't an absolute baby. Remember, dear, Dolly is going to
grow up some day, and she's getting started."
"And another thing. I asked Mr. Forbes a few questions while you were
talking to Bernice, and it seems this other girl, the niece, Alicia, is
attending a very fashionable girls' boarding school."
"Well, what of that? You speak as if she were attending a lunatic
asylum!"
"No; but can't you see if Dolly goes to stay a week with wealthy
Bernice Forbes and this fashionable Alicia, she'll get her head full of all
sorts of notions that don't belong there?"
"No, I won't, mother," murmured Dolly, who, again on her mother's
arm chair, was looking earnestly into the maternal blue eyes, so like her
own. And very lovingly Mrs. Fayre returned the gaze, for she adored
her little daughter and was actuated only by the best motives in making
her decisions.
"And, here's another thing," said Dolly, "Dot won't go, if I don't. It
seems too bad to spoil HER fun."
"Oh, yes, she will," said Mrs. Fayre, smiling. "She would be foolish to
give up her pleasure just because you can't share it."
"Foolish or not, she won't go," repeated Dolly. "I know my Dot, and
when she says she won't do a thing, she just simply doesn't do it!"
"I'd be sorry to be the means of keeping Dotty at home," and Mrs.

Fayre sighed deeply.
CHAPTER II
A FAVOURABLE DECISION
All through dinner time, Mrs. Fayre was somewhat silent, her eyes
resting on Dolly with a wistful, uncertain expression. She wanted to
give the child the pleasure she craved, but she had hard work to bring
herself to the point of overcoming her own objections.
At last, however, when