t she had displayed
considerable ingenuity in the way of saving herself trouble.

"I sent instructions to each place that every article was to be marked
in plain figures. We shall just have to translate them into English
money and add on a little more. It's unnecessary to re-mark everything
afresh. I've engaged a joiner to be at the hall ready to fix up any
boards or shelves which we may need, and of course he'll unpack.
There's not the slightest reason for any one else to break his nails;
there will be enough work for us on the day."

"Are we to be dressed up in fancy character? It's all so sudden that
I'd like to know the worst at once," sighed Honor plaintively. "I've
been a Swiss maiden, and I've been a Dolly Varden, and I've been the Old
Woman that lived in a Shoe, so I guess I can bear another turn of the
screw. But I look real sweet in my new blue gown."

"Wear it, then, wear it. It's ridiculous dressing up in daylight in a
village hall. Let every one wear what suits them best."

"Wait till you see my waistcoat!" cried Stanor, and they rose from the
table laughing, and breakfast was at an end.

Pixie made straight for the nursery. She was jarred and troubled by the
scene which had just taken place, all the more so as it was by no means
the first occasion during her short visit when Geoffrey and Joan had
unmistakably "jarred."

In the old days at Knock Castle Esmeralda's tantrums had been accepted
as part of the daily life, but six years spent in the sunshine of
Bridgie's home made a difference between husband and wife seem something
abnormal and shocking. Imagine Dick sneering at Bridgie! Imagine
Bridgie snapping back and relapsing into haughty indifference! The
thing was preposterous, unthinkable! Could that be the reason of
Esmeralda's unrest, that she and her husband had outgrown their love?
Pixie felt it equally impossible at that moment to sit quietly alone, or
to talk naturally to her fellow-guests, but experience had proved that
the most absolutely certain method of getting out of herself was to
court the society of children. So she shut herself in the nursery with
the two small boys, who took eery advantage of the unexpected treat
without troubling their heads as to how it had come about.

Meantime the three guests started off on the usual morning peregrination
of the grounds, and Joan followed her husband to his study, found him
staring aimlessly out of the window, and accosted him i