larity and from his modest
retirement was able to exchange glances with her at intervals, and these
glances assured him he was seldom absent from her thoughts.

Aside from this, he had the pleasure of glowering ferociously upon
Charlie Mershone, who, failing to obtain recognition from Miss Merrick,
devoted himself to his cousin Diana, or at least lounged nonchalantly in
the neighborhood of the Hindoo Booth. Mershone was very quiet. There
was a speculative look upon his features that denoted an undercurrent
of thought.

Diana's face was as expressionless as ever. She well knew her action of
the previous evening had severed the cordial relations formerly existing
between her and Mr. Merrick's nieces, and determined to avoid the
possibility of a snub by keeping aloof from them. She greeted whoever
approached her station in her usual gracious and cultured manner, and
refrained from even glancing toward Louise.

Hedrik Von Taer appeared for an hour this evening. He quietly expressed
his satisfaction at the complete arrangements of the Kermess, chatted a
moment with his daughter, and then innocently marched over to the flower
booth and made a liberal purchase from each of the three girls.
Evidently the old gentleman had no inkling of the incident of the
previous evening, or that Diana was not still on good terms with the
young ladies she had personally introduced to society. His action amused
many who noted it, and Louise blushing but thoroughly self-possessed,
exchanged her greetings with Diana's father and thanked him heartily
for his purchase. Mr. Von Taer stared stonily at Charlie Mershone, but
did not speak to him.

Going out he met John Merrick, and the two men engaged in conversation
most cordially.

"You did the trick all right, Von Taer," said the little millionaire,
"and I'm much obliged, as you may suppose. You're not ashamed of my
three nieces, I take it?"

"Your nieces, Mr. Merrick, are very charming young women," was the
dignified reply. "They will grace any station in life to which they may
be called."

When the evening's entertainment came to an end Arthur Weldon took
Louise home in his new brown limousine, leaving Patsy and her father,
Uncle John and Beth to comfortably fill the Doyle motor car. Now that
the engagement of the young people had been announced and accepted by
their friends, it seemed very natural for them to prefer their own
society.

"What do you think of it, Uncle John, anyhow?" ask