sort of way.'

'I didn't mean,' began Biddy plaintively.

But this time she was not chidden for her doleful tone--both Alie and
Rough came to the rescue.

'Please, mamma, oh please, papa, you don't understand,' began Rosalys.

'It wasn't the bazaar people at all,' said Rough, chiming in; 'it was
all right. Only, Biddy, you are really too stupid, the muddley way you
tell things----'

'Yes,' agreed Alie, with natural vexation, 'you needn't make it seem as
if we had all gone out of our minds, really.'

'I didn't mean,' started Biddy again, and still more lugubriously.

'Stop, Bride,' said Mr. Vane authoritatively, laying down his knife and
fork as he spoke. 'Now, Rosalys, tell the whole story properly.'

Alie did so, and as Randolph had already explained about meeting Mr.
Redding, it was not long before his father and mother understood the
real facts clearly.

'We couldn't have refused to go into the parlour when Mrs. Fairchild
asked us like that--could we, mamma?' Rosalys wound up.

'And she asked us to step in so nicely. And there were no chairs in the
shop, 'cept only one. And I did so want to see a parlour,' added Biddy,