r?" while Phil burst out with, "Bravo, Dad! I had
no idea you could do it."

"All due to my very able teacher," said Mr. Payton, modestly. "Don't you
want to try it, Nell?" he asked. "It's more fun than you can imagine. I
remember that when I first met you there was no better dancer on the
floor, dear. Come on and try."

"I always used to love to dance," Mrs. Payton admitted, and that
admission was enough for Lucile.

"I tell you what we'll do," she said. "You take Mother, Phil, and I'll
take Dad. Oh, what a lark!"

It was half an hour before the Paytons could bring themselves down to a
consideration of the sober and substantial things of life, and then it
took Mrs. Payton to do it.

"Lucile," she cried, stopping in the middle of a dance to gaze upon her
daughter, "I don't believe you've had a mouthful of anything to eat since
you got up, and it's after twelve o'clock."

"Oh, I forgot," said Lucy, and then added naively, "Now I come to think
of it, though, I am hungry."

"Of course you are. Run along and tell Mary to make you some toast. That
will last you till we all have lunch, which will be pretty soon now."

"I hope so," said Phil, who was always ready for his three good meals a
day. "I begin to feel the ravages of famine," he groaned.

"If you are real good, I may give you a piece of my toast," Lucile
promised.

"No, don't, Lucy; it will only spoil his dinner," said Mrs. Payton.
"Dancing does give you an appetite, though, doesn't it?" she added, at
which Lucile smiled to herself, for it was very, very long since she had
seen her mother unbend so far.

"If dancing will do it," she decided, on her way to the kitchen, "we'll
dance from here to Jericho," and the firm lines of her mouth showed that
she meant it.

At half past four Phil put on his hat and announced his intention of
going round for the girls.

"You needn't stop for Jessie," Lucile called after him; "nor for Evelyn
either, for that matter. All their folks are coming along to see us
off."

"I'm going anyway," he replied, briefly, and Lucile called gaily after
him, "There's a reason," and shut the door before he could retort.

Mrs. Payton met her in the hall.

"Better get your hat and coat on, Lucy. It's almost time to start."

As Lucile ran lightly up the stairs and into her room, her heart beat
fast and her face flamed with excitement.

"We're going, we're going!" she sang, as she slipped into her coat and
pulled her hat--a perky li