the process of coming true? And didn't she have her
money in her pocket all ready for Dale's grasp?

She had brought flowers from the Manor which she arranged on the tables
and the mantel under her beloved Sir Galahad. These, with the mellow
glow of the lamps and the sun-yellow of the curtains, and the gleams of
red from the shiny stove, which had to do for the fireplace Robin had
wanted, and the brilliant scarlet of the Sir Galahad, all served to
soften and lend beauty to the faded bits of carpeting and the shabby
furnishings brought from the Manor attic.

"I do think everything's lovely and it's just because you've all been so
kind about helping," Robin declared, viewing the room with pride. "I
hope ever so many people'll come and that they'll believe it's theirs.
But, oh, Beryl, don't you think we could make them know without my
saying a speech?" And Robin shivered with nervousness.

"Of course not," Beryl answered with cruel promptness. "Anyway, as long
as you thought about all this you ought to get the credit." Beryl had no
patience with Robin's "blushing-unseen" nature. "It'll be easy, anyway.
You just ought to know how I felt the day Mr. Henri took me to play for
Martini. Why, my knees turned to putty. But then, _that_ was different.
Listen, there comes some one now! I'll stay in the kitchen until the
sandwiches are made."

Dale opened the door and Adam Kraus followed him in. Then, while Robin,
two bright spots of color burning in her cheeks, was showing them the
new books, a group of mothers arrived, stiff and miserable in their
Sunday best, and she shyly greeted them. When another knock sounded Mrs.
Lynch took the women in charge so that Robin might welcome the
newcomers. They were four of the Mill girls and they crowded into the
room, staring curiously about them and at Robin, whose greeting they
answered awkwardly. Spying Adam Kraus, they rushed to him with noisy
banter and laughter that had a shrill edge.

Robin, left alone and without the courage to join either group, watched
the girls as they gathered about Adam Kraus and Dale. Suddenly panic
seized her. She fought against it, she told herself that everything was
going all right and that in a few moments more people would come, and
these girls, who looked at her so rudely from the corners of their eyes,
would forget about her and have a good time. From the kitchen, where
Harkness was presiding, came the first faint aroma of coffee, and Beryl
and Mrs.