ms each third quarter. That girl looks innocent, but--by
heaven, Julie, I think she has it down fine."

"No, you don't," said Juliet persuasively. "I should catch her at it if
she were deliberately trying to keep two such men as Roger and Louis
pitted against each other. They're doing it all themselves. I've known her
to run away when she saw one of them coming--so that she couldn't be
found. But, Tony dear, I've a plan."

"Good. I hope it's a duel between the two principals. If it is I'm going
to tamper with the weapons and see that each injures himself past help.
I'm getting a little weary of playing the hospitable host to a trio of
would-bes."

"Listen. We'll entertain them all at once for a week, with some extra
girls, and Judith and Wayne, and then we'll announce that we're not at
home for a month."

"All at once--a house-party?" Anthony sat up and laughed uproariously.
"I've tremendous faith in you, love, but where in the name of all the
French sardines that ever were dovetailed would you put such a crowd?"

"I've a practical plan. Louis Lockwood belongs to a fishing club that
spends every August up in Canada. They have a big tent, twenty by
twenty-five, for he told me so the other day. He would get it for us; we
would put it out in the orchard, close to the river. You and Wayne, and
Roger and Louis, and Stevens Cathcart could sleep down there, and I could
easily take care of Judith and Suzanne Gerard and Marie Dresser, here in
the house. Rachel should stay here, too. And Auntie Dingley would send
down Mary McKaim to cook for us, I'm sure."

"That's not so bad. But why Rachel--when you have so little room?"

"Because I want her to have all the fun; because if I don't keep her here
she will be running away half the time; and because----"

"Now comes the real reason," observed Anthony sagely.

"I don't want the other girls thinking she has the unfair advantage of
taking a man away from the party every evening to walk down home with
her."

"Wise little chaperon. I can see Roger and Louis now, glaring at each
other as the hour approaches for her departure."

"What do you think of my plan? It's only a plan, you know, Tony--subject
to your approval."

"Diplomat!" murmured Anthony, reaching up one arm and drawing it about her
shoulders. "You know you're safe to have my approval when you put it in
that tone. Well, provided you can figure out the finances--and I know you
wouldn't propose it if you hadn't done