he person who received it. Every one held up his toy for the rest to
see and each provoked a peal of laughter.

CHAPTER VII

NEW YEAR'S EVE

"Where is Katharine?" asked Mrs. Morton of the Ethels as Mary announced
luncheon on the day before New Year's.

"She went over to Dorothy's. Shall I call her?"

"Give her a minute or two. She knows the luncheon hour," replied
Katharine's hostess.

But a minute or two and more passed and no Katharine appeared.

"She must be lunching with Dorothy," suggested Ethel Blue.

"I'm sure Dorothy would have telephoned to ask if we had any plans that
would interfere."

"It's twenty minutes past the hour; you'd better call and see if she's
still there," said Mrs. Morton, "and we may as well sit down."

Helen was still at the telephone and the family was seated when
Katharine came in.

"You didn't wait for me," she remarked with apparent surprise.

"Of course you didn't realize that the luncheon hour had struck," Mrs.
Morton apologized for her. "Helen is calling Dorothy now to inquire
about you."

Katharine made no reply and sat down with the injured air that she was
in the habit of wearing when she thought that not sufficient deference
had been paid her. She offered no apology or explanation and seemed to
think, if any conclusion could be drawn from her manner, that she had a
grievance instead of Mrs. Morton, whose family arrangements were
continually being upset by her guest's dilatoriness and lack of
consideration. The visit which had been looked forward to with such
delight was not proving successful. For themselves the Ethels did not
mind occasional delays, but they knew that all such matters interfered
with the smooth running of the house, and they could not help wondering
that Katharine should seem to think that her hostess should rearrange
the daily routine to suit her.

The evening meal was to be supper and not dinner and it was to be
especially early because it was to be cooked entirely by the young
people. The Hancocks and the Watkinses were at the Mortons' by five
o'clock. Dr. Watkins came out, too, by special invitation, but he asked
if he might be permitted to pay a visit to Elisabeth while the rest were
preparing the meal, in view of the fact that he was not skilled as a
cook, and felt himself to be too old to learn in one lesson. He was
allowed to go with strict injunctions to be back at half past six and to
bring Miss Merriam with him.

The Ethels ha