ind the couch and looked
out across the smooth velvet turf, sloping gently to the river bank in
one long, even stretch, broken by an occasional posy-bed, and liberally
dotted with giant oaks and stately lindens. It was an ideal spot for a
picnic or lawn social such as Peace had described; and Japanese lanterns
suspended among the branches and hung about the wide verandas would make
it a veritable fairyland for the little folks of the Home, whose gala
days were so few and far between.

Unconsciously he spoke aloud: "The mis'es would enjoy it as much as the
rest; that is the beauty of it."

"What _are_ you talking about, grandpa?" cried the children, amazed at
the remark which seemed to have no bearing whatever on the subject.

"Did I speak?" he asked sheepishly. "I was just wondering how they would
enjoy coming here for their celebration instead of going to the stone
house--"

"Oh, grandpa! That would be _splendid_! How did it happen that I never
thought of it myself?" Peace exclaimed in comical surprise. "We'll ask
Saint Elspeth and John and my Lilac Lady and Aunt Pen to come and help.
Hicks took her to church for Children's Sunday. Don't you s'pose he
could bring her down here, even if it is three miles?"

"If she will come, dear, we will find a way of bringing her," he
promised, drawing the little girls closer to him as if to shield them
from such sorrow as had darkened that other young life.

"And that will mean Juiceharpie and Glen will come, too," murmured
Allee, who was much charmed with these two little gentlemen,
particularly with the Italian waif, whose strange history still seemed
like a story-book tale to her.

"Yes, the children will come, too, of course, and we will even borrow
the cook and Hicks, if the Lilac Lady will lend them. Do you suppose she
will?"

"Let's go and see this very minute," proposed Peace. "The Fourth is too
near already to let it get any closer before we find out about these
things. And we've still to see Miss Chase about the Home folks coming,
you know."

Thoroughly interested now in her project, the President drew forth his
watch, glanced at the hour, and rang for Jud to harness the horses.

Of course Miss Chase accepted the invitation at once, and the Home
children were jubilant. The little parsonage family was equally charmed
with the plan and agreed to help it along all they could. But at the
stone house, when the matter was explained, it quite took Aunt Pen's
breath a