lect private tea-parties, and
invited each other, the hostesses generally being "at home" in some
cosy spot beneath a tree, or under the shelter of a hedge, where the
alfresco repast was spread forth, each guest bringing her own mug and
plate. Raymonde, Morvyth, Katherine, and Aveline were the recipients
of a very special invitation, and Miss Gibbs assenting, they accepted
it with glee. Miss Lowe, the artist with whom they had struck up a
friendship, had removed on Friday from the camp to lodgings at an old
farm near the village, and she had asked her four school-girl
acquaintances to come for early dinner and tea, so that they might
spend the afternoon with her.

Miss Lowe was an interesting personality. She sketched beautifully,
and had shown the girls a few charming specimens of her work. She had
been painting in the neighbourhood for some weeks before the
strawberry picking began, and had many quaint accounts to give of her
experiences. Her quarters in the village had been decidedly
uncomfortable, and it seemed very uncertain whether the rooms she had
engaged at the farm would turn out to be any improvement.

"You'll have to take pot-luck if you come to dinner with me," she
announced to her guests. "I don't believe my landlady has even the
most elementary notions of cooking. The meal will probably be a
surprise."

"We shan't mind that!" the girls assured her.

Miss Lowe had chosen her lodgings more for the sake of the picturesque
than for creature comforts. The farm-house was an extremely ancient
building, and its very dilapidation rendered it a more suitable
subject for her brush. It consisted of a front later-date portion, and
a much older part at the back, the two being really separate blocks,
connected by a large central hall. This hall, which measured about
twenty feet square and thirty feet in height, must at one time have
belonged to a family of some pretensions. The walls to a height of
fifteen feet were covered with splendid oak panelling, grey with
neglect, and above that were ornamented with plaster designs in
bas-relief--lions, unicorns, wild boars, stags, and other heraldic
devices, a form of decoration which was also continued over the
ceiling. The back part of the house was evidently the older; the same
beautiful plaster-work was to be seen, both in the bedrooms and
kitchen, together with fine black oak beams. There was a winding stair
to the upper story, with narrow windows that suggested a cast