"I'll go down and see, if you'll just fix that hole up for me."

"I'm afraid I can't," she said. "Not unless you take your shirt
off and bring it to me. I'll have to sew the hole smaller."

"Oh, well, I'll go ask your mother to----"

"No," said Alice. "She's got everything on her hands. Run and
take it off. Hurry, papa; I've got to arrange the flowers on the
table before he comes."

He went away, and came back presently, half undressed, bringing
the shirt. "There's ONE comfort," he remarked, pensively, as she
worked. "I've got that collar off--for a while, anyway. I wish
I could go to table like this; I could stand it a good deal
better. Do you seem to be making any headway with the dang
thing?"

"I think probably I can----"

Downstairs the door-bell rang, and Alice's arms jerked with the
shock.

"Golly!" her father said. "Did you stick your finger with that
fool needle?"

She gave him a blank stare. "He's come!"

She was not mistaken, for, upon the little veranda, Russell stood