disclosing hampers. "Here is our supper, I expect. Are you hungry? It's
up to us to serve it. I didn't have the man stay; I thought it would be
more fun to see to things ourselves."

"A thousand times more," Rosamond assured him, looking to Roberta for
confirmation, who nodded, smiling.

They fell to work. Hats were removed, riding skirts were fastened out of
the way, hampers were opened and the contents set forth. Everything that
could possibly be needed was found in the hampers, even to coffee,
steaming hot in the vacuum bottles as it had been poured into them.

"Some other time we'll come up and rough it," Richard explained, when
Stephen told him he was no true camper to have everything prepared for
him in detail like this; "but to-night I thought we'd spend as little
time in preparations as possible and have the more of the evening. It
will be a Midsummer Night's Dream on this hill to-night," said he, with
a glance at Roberta which she would not see.

Presently they sat down, Roberta finding herself opposite their host,
with the necessity upon her of eating and drinking like a common mortal,
though she was dwelling in a world where it seemed as if she did not
know how to do the everyday things and do them properly. It was a
delicious meal, no doubt of that, and at least Stephen and Rosamond did
justice to it.

"But you're not eating anything yourself, man," remonstrated Stephen,
as Richard pressed upon him more cold fowl and delicate sandwiches
supplemented by a salad such as connoisseurs partake of with sighs of
appreciation, and with fruit which one must marvel to look upon.

"You haven't been watching me, that's evident," returned Richard,
demonstrating his ability to consume food with relish by seizing upon a
sandwich and making away with it in short order.

Roberta rose. "I can eat no more," she said, "with that wonderful sky
before me out there." She escaped to the porch.

They all turned to exclaim at a gorgeous colouring beginning in the
west, heralding the sunset which was coming. Rosamond ran out also,
Stephen following. Richard produced cigars.

"Have a smoke out here, Gray," said he, "while I put away the stuff. No,
no help, thank you. James will be here, by and by, to pack it properly."

"Stephen"--Rosamond stood at the edge of the hill below the
porch--"bring your cigar down here; it's simply perfect. You can lie on
your side here among the pine needles and watch the sky."

They went arou