make a nice
family party. Do you see much of Dan? I don't expect _he_ makes a rag
of himself over amusement!"

Ralph shrugged carelessly. "I've no use for Vernon! Good head for
routine work, but as a pal, dull as you make 'em! I'll ask him once as
you make a point of it, but I don't fancy you'll want him twice. As for
the sister--but perhaps I'd better not make any remarks?"

"Much better!" Darsie said frostily. "Your manners have not improved,
Ralph. I think, if you please, that I would rather not talk to you any
more for the present. Would you tell Dan Vernon that I want him to take
your place?"

It was the first, the very first time in her life that Darsie had
essayed the part of queening it over a member of the opposite sex, and
the success of the venture was startling even to herself. Ralph
flushed, flinched, rose without a word, and stalked across the room to
summon Dan as required; and Dan came meekly forward, seated himself in
the discarded chair, and faced her with an air of solemn expectation.
His rugged face looked plain and roughly hewn in contrast with Ralph's
classical features, but the dark eyes were eloquent as of yore, and the
sight of the tilted chin brought back a score of old-time memories.
Darsie looked at him with satisfaction, but with a disconcerting
blankness of mind as to what to say first. From the other side of the
room Ralph was looking on with cynical eyes; it was imperative that the
silence should be broken at once.

"Dan, _please_ say something! I wanted Ralph to go, so I asked for you.
Do please find something to say."

Dan smiled broadly. Each time that she saw him smile Darsie wondered
afresh how she could ever have thought him plain. His dark eyes glowed
upon her with the look she liked best to see.

"What am I to say? It's good to see you here, Darsie. You are looking
very--well! Everything going all right? Sure there's nothing I can
do?"

"No." Darsie beamed happily. At that moment there seemed nothing left
to wish. Dan's friendliness gave the finishing touch to her content,
and the world was _couleur de rose_. "I am loving it all more than I
expected. The work's glorious, and the play's glorious, and I'm just
absorbed in both. It's splendid, coming here to-day to see this lovely
old house and meet you again. I thought you had forgotten all about
me."

But Dan had drawn back into his shell, and refused to be cajoled. He
glowered at the opposite