Her house was dainty, correct and artistic, and yet, I knew its
atmosphere would not please my Aunt Lucy, or be just the right place
for Winnie.

Many of the guests I knew. Cassie Weldon was a concert singer and
Ariadne Gale an artist of some prominence, both socially and in her
art circle. Jim Ferris and Bailey Mason were actors of a good sort,
and Bert Garrison, a member of one of my best clubs, was a fast rising
architect. Steele hadn't come yet.

Two tables of bridge were playing in the back part of the room, and in
the rest of the rather limited space several couples were dancing.

"Mayn't we open the doors to the dining room, Vicky?" called out one
of the card players. "The calorics of this room must be about ninety
in the shade."

"Open them a little way," returned Miss Van Allen. "But not wide, for
there's a surprise supper and I don't want you to see it yet."

They set the double doors a few inches ajar and went on with their
game. The dining room, as I knew, was a wide room that ran all across
the house behind both living-room and hall. It was beautifully
decorated in pale green and silver, and often Vicky Van would have a
"surprise supper," at which the favors or entertainers would be well
worth waiting for.

Having greeted many whom I knew, I looked about for further speech
with my hostess.