--she got up on the stand and gave us a bunch of monologues
that were out of sight. She used to be on the variety stage until she
lost her voice. I tell you, Kendall missed it."

"What did I miss?" called Elinor's voice from the other room, where she
had come in unnoticed.

She came to the doorway with her hat and furs still on and repeated the
question. Griffin gave her a synopsis of the row and the casualties
following, which she received with a little protesting laugh.

"I can't say it sounds better than the architectural show," she said,
pulling out her hat-pins.

"That part wasn't," agreed Griffin, "though a bit more sporting
perhaps. But what came after was. Mary Miller, the model, told us the
most wonderful story--her own life, first in the bush in Australia and
then here in New York and Chicago; and who do you think she is?"

"Melba in disguise?" mocked Elinor gayly.

"Stuff!" snorted Griffin, impatiently. "Her family comes from Rockham,
and her grandmother used to live at Greycroft. She's going out to see
the place when it gets warmer. I didn't tell her you lived there now,
for I didn't know whether you'd want----"

"Lands to goodness, I believe I've seen her!" exclaimed Miss Jinny.
"There was a Mary Miller, a little thing about five, used to play about
the place when old Miss Spence lived there. Her mother married again
and went to Australia. Must be the same one."

"Come over to the shop tomorrow and see if it isn't--" Griffin began,
when there was a sound of laughter and talking in the outer hall and
the door opened to admit Bruce, Margaret Howes, the two Halden girls
and Judith.

Mr. Spicer and Mrs. Shelly came in almost at the same time, and Miss
Jinny's delicious tea and nut-cakes were served with great gayety and
lively chatter. The Haldens, having come from a two-days vacation at
Rockham, were full of neighborhood gossip and gave very circumstantial
accounts of Greycroft, Hannah Ann and Henry.

"We saw Hannah Ann and Henry on Saturday and got all the news about the
place from them. Major had the colic one night, but Hannah Ann saved
him with a quart of homeopathic pills," laughed Miriam. "Everything
looked just as natural as life when we drove by this morning. They'll
be mighty glad to see you all when you go back."

"What are you putting up in the garden, Elinor?" asked Madalon,
stirring her tea. "I noticed that Henry had a lot of poles planted
along the south shrubbery----"