to do it."

No one knew exactly how Diana managed to work matters, but for this
occasion she took over Mrs. Fleming's toilet, and that astonished lady
resigned herself into her hands. She was a natty little person, with
exquisite taste, and by the aid of some really good lace, which the
ottoman yielded, she managed to transform the grey silk dress into a
very creditable imitation of the Parisian fashion-plate. She even dared
to venture a step further without offending.

"I often help Mother fix her hair when she's going out, and she calls me
her little _coiffeuse_. I'm crazy to try yours, if I may."

"'In for a penny, in for a pound,' I suppose, you young witch!"
acquiesced Mrs. Fleming, letting her enthusiastic guest have her way.

So on the evening of the concert Diana shut herself up in her hostess's
bedroom with a pair of crimping-irons and some curling-tongs. She
covered up the result with a light gauze veil.

"Don't let them see you till you get to the concert," she implored,
helping her friend to put on her cloak. "I want them to get a real
surprise. I guess it will make them sit up!"

The parish hall was quite full that evening, and the platform was
prettily and appropriately decorated with flags and plants in pots.
There was a sprinkling of local gentry on the front benches, and Miss
Todd, who had returned after the holidays, and was entertaining some
visitors at the Abbey, brought her whole house-party. The villagers had
turned up in full force, thoroughly prepared to enjoy themselves. The
Fleming family sat at the end of the second row, and watched as the
audience filed in.

"Where's Mother?" asked Elsie.

"She's in the performers' room, talking to Miss Watson," vouchsafed
Diana, chuckling softly to herself.

Then the concert began. There was a madrigal by the choir, and a glee
for four male voices, and a duet for soprano and mezzo, and then came
the item for which Diana was waiting:

The Moonlight Sonata, ....... _Beethoven_.

MRS. CARISBROOK FLEMING.

The curtain at the back of the platform was drawn aside, and a lady
entered--a lady who was palpably nervous, but oh, so pretty! Her brown
eyes shone like two stars, and her cheeks were the colour of the knot of
carnation ribbon that fastened the lace fichu of her dress. Her lovely
bronze hair was parted on one side, and rippled lightly over her
forehead; it looked the very perfection of glossy fluffiness. She wore