And after they leave I want a serious talk with you." "Not if I see you first!" muttered Margaret, under her breath, as her mother walked out.
Presently, following gay talk and laughter down stairs, a bevy of Margaret's friends entered her boudoir.
"Hello, old socks!" was Helen's greeting.

"You look punk." "Marg, where's the doll?
Your mother tipped us off," was Elinor's greeting.
"Where's the eats ?" was Flossie Dickerson's greeting.

She was a bright-eyed girl, with freckles on her smiling face, and the expression of a daring, vivacious and happy spirit--and acknowledged to be the best dancer and most popular girl in Middleville.

Her dress, while not to be compared with her friends' costumes in costliness, yet was extreme in the prevailing style.
"Glad to see you, old dear," was dark-eyed, dark-haired Dorothy Dalrymple's greeting.

Her rich color bore no hint of the artificial.
She sank down on her knees beside Margaret.
The other girls draped themselves comfortably round the room; and Flossie with a 'Yum Yum' began to dig into a box of candy on Margaret's couch.