ATHERING OF THE CLANS

If Mabel had counted on creating a sensation, she succeeded beyond her
wildest hopes.

For a moment, Joe thought that he must have taken leave of his senses.

"What!" he cried, incredulously, half rising to his feet.

This sudden ejaculation drew the attention of all the others seated at the
table.

"Land sakes, Joe!" expostulated his mother, "you almost made me upset my
tea cup. What's the matter?"

"Enough's the matter," responded Joe, jubilantly. "That is, if Mabel
really means what she said just now."

"What was it you said, Mabel dear?" asked Clara.

"Come, 'fess up," invited Jim.

"I guess I'll let Reggie tell the rest of it," said Mabel, blushing under
the battery of eyes turned upon her.

"All right, Sis," said Reggie, affably. "Bah Jove, I give you credit for
holding in as long as you have. The fact is," he continued, beaming
amiably upon all the party, "the governor asked me to take a trip to Japan
and China, and Mabel put in to come along. I didn't twig what the little
minx was up to, until she said we could go on the same steamer that took
the baseball party. Lots of other women--wives of the managers and players
and so on--will go along, I understand. So there's the whole bally story
in a nutshell. Rippin' good idea I call it--what?"

"Glory hallelujah!" cried Joe, grasping Mabel's hand, openly this time.

"It's simply great!" cried Jim, enthusiastically.

"You darling, lucky girl!" exclaimed Clara, while Mr. and Mrs. Matson
smiled their pleasure.

"Had you up in the air for a minute, didn't it, old top?" grinned Reggie.

"I should say it did," Joe admitted. "I thought for a minute I was going
crazy. Somebody pinch me."

Jim reached over and accommodated him.

"Ouch!" cried Joe, rubbing his arm. "You needn't be so literal."

"There's nothing I wouldn't do for my friends," said Jim, piously.

Questions poured in thick and fast.

"How can you possibly get ready in time?" asked Clara. "It's the
sixteenth now, and the teams leave Chicago on the nineteenth."

"Oh, we're not going to make the trip across the country," explained
Mabel, flushed with happiness. "Reggie and I will join the party in San
Francisco or Seattle, or wherever they start from. So that will give us
nearly a month, and I'm going to spend most of that right here--if you can
stand me that long."

Clara came round the table and gave her an impulsive hug.

"I'd be glad to have you stay here fore