I used to be though, when a child, but Harold gave me so many lectures upon vanity that I should not do credit to his teachings were I now to be proud of what I did not do myself.' 'But Harold thinks you are beautiful,' Nina replied.
'He does?
I did not know that.

When did he say so ?' Jerrie asked; with kindling eyes and a quick, sideways turn of her head, of which she had a habit when startled by some sudden emotion.
'He said so last vacation, when we were home, and I had that little musicale, and you played and sang so divinely, and wore that dress of baby-blue which Mr.Arthur gave you, with the blush-rose, in your belt.' Nina said; 'I was so proud of you and so was mamma and Mrs.Atherton.
You remember there were some New Yorkers there who were visiting Mrs.
Grace, and I was glad for them to know that we had some talent, and some beauty, too, in the country; and Harold was proud, too.

I don't think he ever took his eyes off you from the time you sat down to the piano until you left it, and when I said to him, "Doesn't she sing like an angel, and isn't the lovely ?" he replied: "I think my sister Jerry has the loveliest face I ever saw, and that blue dress is very becoming to her."' 'Wasn't that rather a stiff speech to make about his _sister_ ?' Jerry said, with a slight emphasis upon the last word, as she walked away, leaving Nina to wonder if she were displeased.
Evidently not, for a few minutes later she heard her whistling softly the air 'He promised to buy me a knot of blue ribbon to tie up my bonny brown hair,' and could she have looked into Jerry's room she would have seen her standing before the mirror examining the face which Harold had said was the loveliest he had ever seen.

Others had said the same, and their sayings had been repeated to her.

Billy Peterkin, and Tom Tracy, and Dick St.Claire, and even Fred Raymond, from Kentucky, who was supposed to be devoted to Nina.