"You sweet thing," she said, "you can do anything, and you know it!"

"But I don't like to do anything any mo' than I did befo' I had
to," laughed Celia Craig; and suddenly checked her mirth, listening
with her pretty close-set ears.

"That is the do'-bell," she remarked, "and I am not dressed."

"It's almost too early for anybody to call," said Ailsa tranquilly.

But she was wrong, and when, a moment later, the servant came to
announce Mr. Berkley, Ailsa regarded her sister-in-law in pink
consternation.

"I did _not_ ask him," she said. "We scarcely exchanged a dozen
words. He merely said he'd like to call--on you--and now he's done
it, Celia!"

Mrs. Craig calmly instructed the servant to say that they were at
home, and the servant withdrew.

"Do you approve his coming--this way--without anybody inviting
him?" asked Ailsa uneasily.

"Of co'se, Honey-bell. He is a Berkley. He should have paid his
respects to us long ago."

"It was for him to mention the relationship when I met him. He did
not speak of it, Celia."