g a very uncertain and,
perhaps, dangerous path of conversation, and the sooner he got out of it
the better; but, before he could decide what answer to make, a silent
and stealthy figure appeared at the door, beckoning and nodding in a
very mysterious way. This proved to be the plump black maid, Letty, who,
having attracted the attention of the company, whispered loudly, "Miss
Annie!" whereupon that young lady immediately left the room.

"What other comers did you expect?" then asked Roberta of Mr Croft.

"I certainly supposed there would be a small company here," he said,
"probably neighborhood people, but if I was mistaken, of course I don't
wish to say anything more about it to the family."

"Were you invited yourself?" asked Roberta.

Croft wished very much that he could say that he had accidentally
dropped in. But this he could not do, and he answered that Mrs Keswick
asked him to come about this time. He did not consider it necessary to
add that she had written to him at the Springs, renewing her invitation
very earnestly, and mentioning that Miss March had consented to make one
of the party.

This was as far as Roberta saw fit to continue the subject, on the
present occasion; and she began to talk about the charming weather, and
the pretty way in which the foliage was reddening on the side of a hill
opposite the window. Mr Croft was delighted to enter into this new
channel of speech, and discussed with considerable fervor the
attractiveness of autumn in Virginia. Miss Annie found Letty in a very
disturbed state of mind. The dinner had been postponed until the arrival
of Miss March, and now it had been still further delayed by the
non-arrival of the mistress of the house, and everything was becoming
dried up, and unfit to eat. "This will never do!" exclaimed Miss Annie.
"I will go myself and look for aunt. She must have forgotten the time of
day, and everything else."

Putting on her hat she ran out of the back door, but she did not have to
go very far, for she found the old lady in the garden, earnestly
regarding a bed of turnips. "Where have you been, my dear aunt?" cried
the girl. "Miss March has been here ever so long, and Mr Croft has come,
and dinner has been waiting until it has all dried up. I was afraid that
you had forgotten that company was coming to-day."

"Forgotten!" said the old lady, glaring at the turnips. "It isn't an
easy thing to forget. I invited the girl, and I expected her to come,
b