"

Nevertheless her heart beat somewhat faster as her father ushered in his
guests, giving a hasty glance at the table as they took their places.

[Illustration: BEE ENTERTAINS HER FATHER'S FRIENDS.]

"This seems to be a Butterfly dinner to judge from the decorations," he
observed with some anxiety in his manner. "I don't know exactly what
that portends, but perhaps there will be something to satisfy us."

"Our young hostess has evidently studied her subject," remarked one of
the scientists with an admiring glance at the table. "Do you know, Miss
Raymond, that when I was a lad sweet peas were always associated in my
mind with butterflies? To me they look just like the insect at rest."

"So they do to me," answered Bee. "That is the reason I chose them for
the flowers." She had filled a vase with the blossoms upon which two
large artificial butterflies rested, apparently partaking of the sweets
of the flowers.

"'The Sulphurs,'" read a second, picking up the menu card which Bee had
carefully written for each plate. "Gentlemen, I am afraid that we are
in for it."

"Miss Raymond intends for us to eat our own words--no; that is not
exactly what I mean, although some of us have written upon the subject
of Lepidoptera," said the third one, a small man in spectacles.

Beatrice could not repress a little laugh at the look of relief that
flashed across each man's face as Tillie, the "likely gal" of whom Aunt
Fanny had spoken, appeared with "The Sulphurs" which proved to be yellow
cantaloupes, ice cold.

"After all you are not the first martyrs to science," she told them
merrily. "Luther had to partake of a diet of worms, I believe."

"So he did," observed the scientist on her right. "Let me see. How does
the rhyme go?

"'Instead of butter on his bread
A sauce of butterflies was spread.'

"Are we to have that next? I see what is in store for us. 'All life is
from an egg,'" reading aloud from the menu. "That sounds interesting."

With an eagerness that was almost boyish they awaited Tillie's coming
with the next course which developed into egg soup accompanied by hot
wafers. A laugh of pure enjoyment went up as Scale insects with
chrysalids and some green hair streaks was seen to be baked fish with
shrimp salad, dressed with cucumbers.

An entree--"Scarce clouded yellows," mushrooms on toast--was provocative
of so much merriment that Bee gave herself up to the fun, assured that
the dinner was a success. St