them
all to pile into "The Threshing Machine" with unaffected haste and rush
Aunt Mary bedward as rapidly as was possible considering the hour and the
policemen.

Janice received her mistress with the tender welcome that every prodigal
may count on and was especially expeditious with tea and toast and a robe
de nuit. Aunt Mary sighed luxuriously when she felt herself finally tucked
up.

"After all, Granite," she said dreamily, "there's nothin' like gettin'
stretched out to think it over--is there?"

But Janice was turning out the lights.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN - AUNT MARY ENTHRALLED

Jack's aunt slept long and dreamlessly again. That thrice-blessed sleep
which follows nights abroad in the metropolis.

When, toward four o'clock, Aunt Mary opened her eyes, she was at first
almost as hazy in her conceptions as she had found herself upon the
previous day.

"I feel as if the automobile was runnin' up my back and over my head," she
said, thoughtfully passing her hand along the machine's imaginary course.
Then she rang her bell and Janice appeared from the room beyond.

"I guess you'd better give me some of that that you gave me yesterday,"
the elderly lady suggested; "what do you think?"

"Yes, indeed," said Janice--and went at once and brought it in separate
glasses on a tray, and mixed it by pouring, while Aunt Mary looked on with
an intuitive understanding that passed instinct and bordered on a complete
comprehension of things to her hitherto unknown.

"They'd ought to advertise that," she said, as she set down the empty
glass a few seconds later. "There'd be a lot of folks who'd be glad to
know there was such a thing when they first wake up mornin's
after--after--well, mornin's after anythin'. It's jus' what you want right
off; it sort of runs through your hair and makes you begin to remember."

"Yes, ma'am," said Janice, turning to put down the tray, and then crossing
the room to seek something on the chimney-piece.

Aunt Mary gave a sudden twist,--as if the drink had infused an effervescing
energy into her frame. "Well what am I goin' to do to-day?" she asked.

"Mr. Denham has written out your engagements here," said Janice, handing
her a jeweler's box as she spoke.

Aunt Mary tore off the tissue paper with trembling haste--lifted the
cover--and beheld a tiny ivory and gold memoranda card.

"Well, that boy!" she ejaculated.

"Shall I read the list aloud to you?" the maid inquired.

"Yes, read i