"A six o'clock dinner-party, you say?" she repeated, her eyes
apparently fixed on the nasturtium bed.

"Yes, Mrs. Merriam." It was Tess who answered. Missy's heart, an
anxious lump in her throat, hindered speech.

"For heaven's sake! What next?" ejaculated Aunt Nettie.

Mrs. Merriam regarded the nasturtiums for a second longer before she
brought her eyes back to the two young faces and broke the tense
hush.

"What made you think you wanted to give a dinner-party?"

Oh, rapture! Missy's heart subsided an inch, and she drew a long
breath. But she wisely let Tess do the replying.

"Oh, everything in Cherryvale's so passe' and ennuye'. We want to do
something novel--something really distingue'--if you know what I
mean."

"I believe I do," replied Mrs. Merriam gravely.

"Dis-tinn-gwy!" repeated Aunt Nettie. "Well, if you ask me--" But
Mrs. Merriam silenced her sister with an unobtrusive gesture. She
turned to the two petitioners.

"You think an evening dinner would be--distinngwy?"

"Oh, yes--the way we've planned it out!" affirmed Tess. She, less