ad fed the belated birds with crumbs from the little lunch
baskets. And there had been the old sun-dial to mark the hour when the
recess ended and to warn them that work must begin.

She had a rapturous vision of what it might be to have the old house
open, and to see Nancy Brooks and her son Richard coming in and out.

Later, however, alone in her dull room, stripped of its holiday
trappings, the vision faded. To Nancy and Richard she would be just the
school-teacher across the way, as to-night she had been the girl who
waited on the table!

There was music down-stairs. The whine of the phonograph came up to her.

Peggy, knocking, brought an interesting bulletin.

"They are dancing," she said. "Let's sit on the stairs and look."

From the top of the stairs they could see straight into the long front
room. The hall was dimly lighted so that they were themselves free from
observation. Philip Meade and Eve were dancing, and the Dutton-Ames. Eve
had on very high shoes with very high heels. Her skirt was wide and
flaring. She dipped and swayed and floated, and the grace of the man with
whom she danced matched her own.

"Isn't it lovely," said Peggy's little voice, "isn't it lovely, Anne?"

It was lovely, lovely as a dream. It was a sort of ecstasy of motion. It
was youth and joy incarnate. Anne had a wild moment of rebellion. Why
must she sit always at the head of the stairs?

The music stopped. Eve and Philip became one of the circle around the
fireplace in the front room. Again Eve's roses and Winifred's cloak gave
color to the group. There was also the leaping golden flame of the fire,
and, in the background, a slight blue haze where some of the Old
Gentlemen smoked.

The young man with the eye-glasses was telling a story. He told it well,
and there was much laughter when he finished. When the music began again,
he danced with Winifred Ames. Dutton Ames watched them, smiling. He
always smiled when his eyes rested on his lovely wife.

Evelyn danced with Richard. He did not dance as well as Philip, but he
gave the effect of doing it easily. He swung her finally out into the
hall. The whine of the phonograph ceased. Richard and Eve sat down on a
lower step of the stairway.

The girl's voice came up to the quiet watchers clearly. "When are you
coming to New York to dance with me again, Dicky Boy?"

"You must come down here. Pip will bring you in his car for the
week-ends, with the Dutton-Ames. And I'll get a mu