n she planned
that dinner-table, for this is the way we found ourselves:

Next to Frank Mayo came Alice Asbury, encased in freezing dignity. Brian
Beck, at his worst, supported her on the other hand. After Brian were
Louise King and Charlie Hardy, both looking to my practised eyes
exceedingly stiff and uncomfortable. I had no time to wonder if the blow
had fallen, in casting a glance at the other guests. Nellie Mayo was
admirably situated between Charlie Hardy and Payson Osborne, both of whom
were deference itself to her. The difference in her simple attire from the
full dress all around her in no wise disturbed her unworldly spirit. She
looked with quiet admiration at the handsome shoulders of Louise and
Rachel, evidently never dreaming that the babies' mother might be
expected to follow their example in dress.

[Illustration: Seating plan.]

Grace Beck, sitting by Norris Whitehouse, would have an excellent
opportunity of cementing or breaking off the prospective match, which as
yet was unannounced, between her sister and his nephew. Rachel would be
polite, but not wildly entertaining, to Asbury; but he could count on me
to be decent to him, while I snatched crumbs of intellectual comfort from
Percival on my other hand. But Sallie had placed the funereal Clinton
Frost between that rattle-pated Frankie Taliaferro and her lively self,
probably with the laudable intention of seeing whether his face would be
permanently disfigured by a smile. Nor was the poor wretch out of Brian
Beck's reach, but was made the objective point of Brian's liveliest
sallies, the hero of his most piquant and impossible stories, which
convulsed us until I felt sure that the irritated Mr. Frost must cherish
a secret but lively desire to punch his head. Possibly Brian was the only
one who thoroughly enjoyed himself at that ill-starred dinner, for he is
keen on the scent of a precarious situation which is liable to involve
everybody in total collapse. In this instance he seemed to snuff the
battle from afar and stirred up all the slumbering elements of discord
with unctuous satisfaction; and if it had not been for the wicked twinkle
in his Irish blue eyes, which none of his victims could withstand, it
might have resulted seriously. He gayly rallied Charlie Hardy on his
flirtations; predicted seeing him yet brought up with a round turn in a
breach-of-promise case; seemed highly edified by Frankie Taliaferro's
efforts to appear unconcerned at these