from
that thing he's makin'. All I pray is no new scheme ketches him while
he's dressin', for 'twill be all day with the party if it does."

Fortunately no such misadventure befell. Willie was corralled, his
protests smothered, and he was led placidly away by Bob, to emerge
after an interval resigned as a lamb for the slaughter. Even the
homespun suit could not wholly banish his native charm, for after it
was once on he forgot its existence and wore it with an ease almost too
oblivious to suit Celestina.

Not so she! On the contrary she issued from her chamber conscious of
every article of finery adorning her plump person. She settled,
unsettled, resettled her hat a dozen times, and tried no less than a
score of locations for her large cameo pin. Her freshly washed lisle
gloves had unfortunately shrunk in the drying and refused to go on at
the finger tips, and from each digit projected a sharply defined glove
end which kept her busy pushing and pulling most of the afternoon. So
occupied was Delight with tying Willie's cravat and rearranging the
spray of flowers on Celestina's bonnet that she had not a moment to
consider her own toilet which was hastily made after everything else
was done. Yet as Robert Morton looked at her, he thought that nothing
could have graced her more completely than did her simple gown of
muslin. There was in the frock a demureness almost Quaker-like which
as a foil for her beauty breathed the very essence of coquetry. What
lover could have failed to feel proud of such a treasure?

Nevertheless, Bob had his qualms about the prospective visit. He was
not concerned for Willie or Celestina. They were what they were and
any one of discrimination would recognize their worth. Nor did he
entertain fears for Delight or the Galbraiths. All of them could be
relied upon to meet the situation with ease and dignity. But
Cynthia--what would be her attitude? Of late, when she had come over
in the car with Mr. Snelling, she had maintained a distant politeness
which would have been amusing had it not been ominous. He wondered how
she would conduct herself today, not alone toward him but toward the
girl whom she could not but regard as her rival. How much did she
guess, he speculated, of the romance that was taking place in the
rose-covered cottage on the bluff. And if she had guessed nothing,
might not Snelling, leaping at conclusions, have gone back to Belleport
there to spread idle gossip