th American waiters to wait upon them and no foreigners who
ought to know they wouldn't stand that sort of nonsense, hanged if they
would.

Some of Mrs. Ess Kay's servants had gone on before us, and some were in
our train. Exactly how it was managed, I don't know; but things that
would worry us into grey-haired graves don't seem to bother Americans
at all; and there was the motor waiting when we arrived at the end of
our journey, with a private motor omnibus for the servants and luggage.

Sometimes it is rather a pretty sight at the station where you have to
get out for Battlemead, or for the village, when one of the best trains
from Town comes in, especially if Mother or anyone at other big places
in the neighbourhood should be having a house party. There are several
rather good victorias with nice sleek horses, a handsome brougham or
two, a motor car or two, to say nothing of dog carts and phaetons. But
it is a poor show compared to the scene at Newport. I felt suddenly as
if I were at the theatre, and the curtain had just gone up on a
brilliant new act.

There was a crowd of gorgeous carriages; and jet-black varnish, gold
and silver harness, and horses' brown and chestnut backs all glittered
blindingly in the sun. But there were even more motors than carriages,
it seemed; or else they were more conspicuous; and many were being
driven by beautiful girls in muslins such as we would wear to a garden
party, with nothing on their pretty heads except their splendid hair,
dressed everlastingly in the same way.

Now, I saw Mrs. Ess Kay and Potter in their element. There was no
suggestion that the people were not good enough for them, here. Mrs.
Ess Kay radiated smiles, bowing cordially right and left, sometimes
even more cordially than her friends bowed in return. Potter was taking
off his straw hat and waving it. There were evidently no nobodies here.
They were delighted to see everybody, for Everybody was Somebody, and
some, but not all, of the Everybodies were delighted to see them. Sally
alone remained unmoved; and I was glad to have her to keep me in
countenance, in this new act, where I knew none of the players or what
part I should be called upon to take by and by.

I had heard so much that was dazzling about Newport, which I had
imagined a great white city by the sea, that the part I saw first after
leaving the railway station was distinctly a blow. "_This_ quiet,
half-asleep village the greatest watering place