rue to her word, had made the best of the oval table. She had
laid upon it the finest, laciest cloth she could find, and had placed in
the centre a tall jar of lilies, while here and there she had found room
for small silver bowls of pink roses. The silver tea-tray, with its thin
china cups and saucers, stood proudly at the head of the table; and so
far nothing could have been more charming.

But alas! Even Kate could not hide the eminent unsuitability of the
feast itself to its elegant surroundings. True, the bread and butter was
of wafer-like thinness, there were hot cakes of the crispest, finest
variety, and the plum-cake which was Martha's welcome to the bride was
of the richest, most tempting description.

But side by side with those delicacies was a dish of shrimps, in all
their native vulgarity; and further down, almost hidden in fact by the
flowery centrepiece, was a glass dish containing a velvety white cream
whose real place should have been on the dinner-table.

For a moment Toni's heart misgave her as she saw these things in their
blatancy; and she wished she had stuck to the usual tiny sandwiches
which Martha sent up when she and Owen were alone. Then she remembered,
gratefully, that Fanny was hungry, and common sense whispered that to a
girl who had lunched lightly a sandwich was unsatisfying fare.

As for Fanny, her spirits, momentarily damped by the sight of the silver
tray, rose with a bound as she surveyed the table.

"I say, Toni, what a spread! Shrimps, I declare! Well, I thought you'd
have been much too smart nowadays to think of them!"

"Nonsense!" Toni's depression vanished, and she laughed gaily. "I always
did like shrimps--and why shouldn't I have them if I want them? Come and
sit down, Fan--here, by me--and do make a good tea!"

Fanny needed no second bidding. Taking the seat indicated she leaned
forward to examine the silver in the most open fashion.

"I say, you've got some tiptop things and no mistake! That cloth is
simply lovely--just look at the lace, as fine as fine!"

"It belonged to Owen's mother," said Toni, passing her a cup of tea.
"There are lots of things like that in the house. Now, Fanny, help
yourself--and pass the dish!"

Thus invited, Fanny did help herself; and presently both girls were
happily eating and talking, Fanny asking innumerable questions and Toni
satisfying her curiosity without entering into details.

Suddenly Toni jumped up.

"There's Jock at the doo