girls in their white dresses and pink or blue sashes, all
the boys in their white collars of ceremony, were grouped about on the
lawn, around the base of a big shade tree. Pink hair bows were a-flutter
with excitement. The patent leather pumps of the boys trod upon the
white slippers of the little girls in their efforts to see what was
happening.

At the foot of the tree stood Miss Wilder red and tired, speaking
sternly to some one overhead. Mr. and Mrs. Bryce rushed to join her,
brushing children aside.

"What is the matter, Miss Wilder?" demanded Mrs. Bryce.

"Oh, Mrs. Bryce, she's--she's----"

"Isabelle Bryce, come down here this moment," commanded her mother,
loudly.

There was a whispered colloquy overhead, among the branches.

"That wretched Patsy is with her," wailed Miss Wilder. "They ran away,
and hid for hours, and then we found them up here."

"Isabelle!" shouted her father.

"All right. We're going to drop," said a voice from above.

Suddenly two white and shining little bodies hung side by side from a
limb, then two naked youngsters dropped into the midst of the astounded
party.

"Isabelle Bryce!" gasped her mother.

"We're playing barbarian," said Isabelle, coolly; "Miss Wilder told me
about them."

"Miss Wilder!" protested Wally.

"But I didn't--I mean--I----"

"You said they lived in trees and never wore clothes."

The children began to titter.

"This is your affair, I believe, Wally," remarked Mrs. Bryce, and she
walked in a leisurely way into the house.

"Oh, I say," he called after her; then: "Get her indoors, will you?
Who's the boy?"

"The gardener's child, Patsy."

"Where are your clothes?" he demanded.

"Up in the tree, sorr," said the boy.

"Get them, and cut home," said Wally, severely.

Patsy obeyed, but Isabelle resisted force. "I won't hurry and I won't be
carried, I'll walk," said she, and--properly clad in her "birthday
clothes"--Isabelle Bryce disposed of her first party!

CHAPTER TWO

Following upon the exit of his daughter came the realization to Wally
that something must be done about the "party." He turned to the group of
children, huddled together in horror, like butterflies in a rain storm.
Serious and large-eyed, they focussed their attention upon him, in the
apparent belief that, being a parent, he would be able to handle this
unprecedented situation. They ranged in age from three to six; they were
the children