that it was a very dashing achievement of the Widow's
to bring together so considerable a number of desirable guests. She felt
proud of her feat; but as to the triumph of getting Dudley Venner to come
out for a visit to Hyacinth Cottage, she was surprised and almost
frightened at her own success. So much might depend on the impressions
of that evening!

The next thing was to be sure that everybody should be in the right place
at the tea-table, and this the Widow thought she could manage by a few
words to the older guests and a little shuffling about and shifting when
they got to the table. To settle everything the Widow made out a
diagram, which the reader should have a chance of inspecting in an
authentic copy, if these pages were allowed under any circumstances to be
the vehicle of illustrations. If, however, he or she really wishes to
see the way the pieces stood as they were placed at the beginning of the
game, (the Widow's gambit,) he or she had better at once take a sheet of
paper, draw an oval, and arrange the characters according to the
following schedule.

At the head of the table, the Hostess, Widow Marilla Rowens. Opposite
her, at the other end, Rev. Dr. Honeywood. At the right of the Hostess,
Dudley Veneer, next him Helen Darley, next her Dr. Kittredge, next him
Mrs. Blanche Creamer, then the Reverend Doctor. At the left of the
Hostess, Bernard Langdon, next him Letty Forrester, next Letty Mr.
Richard Veneer, next him Elsie, and so to the Reverend Doctor again.

The company came together a little before the early hour at which it was
customary to take tea in Rockland. The Widow knew everybody, of course:
who was there in Rockland she did not know? But some of them had to be
introduced: Mr. Richard Veneer to Mr. Bernard, Mr. Bernard to Miss Letty,
Dudley Veneer to Miss Helen Darley, and so on. The two young men looked
each other straight in the eyes, both full of youthful life, but one of
frank and fearless aspect, the other with a dangerous feline beauty alien
to the New England half of his blood.

The guests talked, turned over the prints, looked at the flowers, opened
the "Proverbial Philosophy" with gilt edges, and the volume of Plays by
W. Shakespeare, examined the horse-pictures on the walls, and so passed
away the time until tea was announced, when they paired off for the room
where it was in readiness. The Widow had managed it well; everything was
just as she wanted it. Dudley Veneer w