, unpleasantly. It was not a home for Arthur; it was an
establishment for social functions, and a burden of expense; yet Danvers
knew it was the goal of Arthur's thoughts, where his little son awaited
him at the close of the day.

Danvers rang the bell, not a moment too early; nevertheless he found the
Western men standing self-conscious and ill at ease, waiting for the
announcement of dinner. Arthur greeted him warmly, and Eva sparkled,
smiled and chatted, moving among her guests and tactfully putting each
at his best, while they waited for the last arrival--a Miss Blair, who
was to be, so Philip learned, his own partner at dinner.

Presently the tardy one arrived, beautiful in her serene,
straightforward gaze from under fine brows and a wealth of dark hair
that caught threads of light even under the gas-jets, and made hurriedly
breathless excuses to her hostess. Danvers was introduced to her
immediately, and the dining-room was invaded.

"So awkward of me," she explained in an undertone. "I turned my ankle as
I came across the lawn, and had to wait quite a bit before I could move.
I was afraid at first I couldn't come to dinner, but I hated to
disappoint Eva. Little Arthur must have left his hoop on the lawn, and I
tripped on it. We live in the next house, and always come across lots.
Doesn't that sound New England-y?" She laughed softly. "My brother says
I'll never drop our Yankee phrases. I say pail for bucket, and path for
trail, and the other day I said farm for ranch."

"Your voice has more of _Old_ England than of New England," said
Danvers, appreciatively. He had not spoken before except to acknowledge
Mrs. Latimer's hurried introduction.

"Oh, thank you!" Miss Blair smiled, frankly pleased. "Not that I'm a bit
of an Anglo-maniac," she hastened to affirm, "but, do you know," she
leaned toward Danvers in an amusingly confidential way, "I've always
felt mortified over my throaty voice--that is, I used to be."

Philip smiled, a smile that but few had ever seen. He listened with
enjoyment. Something in his companion's tacit belief that he would
understand her feeling was wonderfully pleasing. He seemed taken into
her confidence at once as being worthy, and it did not lessen his
pleasure to observe that the Honorable William Moore, who sat at the
left of Miss Blair, received only the most formal recognition, despite
his effort at conversation, to the neglect of his own dinner partner.

Wit and merriment flash