Elizabeth, haven't you any tea to offer Blakely's mother!"

"Mrs. Porter was just leaving" I managed to say. "She has been here
some time."

Dad beamed on us both.

"I told Blakely, Elizabeth couldn't marry him until you consented,"
he blundered on, "but now I suppose it is all arranged. These
children of ours are wonderfully impatient. I'm as fond of Blakely
as if he were my own son, and you'll feel the same about Elizabeth
when you've known her longer."

"Don't let Dad keep you, Mrs. Porter," I said. "I'm sure you have
many things to attend to."

Blakely's mother who had been standing like one in a dream, now woke
up.

"Yes," she said, "I must be going. I called informally on Elizabeth
to beg you both to come to my dinner to-night."

"I told her we couldn't possibly come," I began. "Nonsense! Of
course we can come," Dad declared. "It will quite upset Blakely if
you don't come, and I shall be so disappointed."

"There, there," said Dad, "you're not going to disappoint Blakely's
mother by refusing."

"No," I replied. "If Mrs. Porter really wants us we shall be