an ever, didn't it?"

"It did, indeed. And in ten days we shall be going back to town,"

"Perhaps you won't."

She stared at him. "What in the world do you mean?"

"I don't mean anything," said he, laughing. "I'm like a small boy
bursting with the secret information that there's to be ice-cream for
dinner. So I don't mean anything--but I'd like to shake hands on it, just
the same."

"Jarvis!" She let him seize both her hands and shake them up and down.
"You do mean something!"

"Come out in the hall and do the corn-stalk prance with me."

"The corn-stalk prance! What in the world is that? Are you crazy?"

"I'll teach it to you," and he led her out into the wide hall, which had
been all the evening the most attractive spot in the house. He pulled two
stalks from one of the sheaves which stood on each side of the great
fireplace. He handed her one, and throwing the other across his shoulder
as if it were a gun, marched to the drawing-room door. The musicians were
just putting away their instruments, having played till the last guests
were out of hearing.

"Just one more, will you?" he asked, grinning at them in a way which they
understood meant an extra fee.

Then he came back to Sally. "Now for it!" he said. "I never did this
myself,--nor heard of it--but if we can't do an impromptu turn to-night,
on our high spirits, we never can again. Come on!"--as the music burst
forth. And he made her an impressive bow.

Smiling, and ready enough to follow his lead, Sally returned him a
sweeping courtesy, in minuet style.

"Hi, what's this?" cried Bob, returning from the porch, where he, with
the others, had been watching the departure of the procession of
carriages and automobiles which had borne the guests away.

"Here, come and see what's going on!" he shouted back to the porch, and
they came hurrying in. Mrs. Burnside and Donald Ferry, Josephine and
Max, Mrs. Ferry and Alec and Uncle Timothy ranged themselves along the
walls, their faces all enjoyment of the somewhat remarkable affair now
in progress.

Jarvis and Sally might have been improvising, there was no doubt that
they were, but the result was the product of inspiration. Up and down,
double and single, in and out, round and round, with all manner of fancy
steps, both surprising and picturesque, saluting each other every now and
then with bows, with wavings of the corn-stalks, with gestures of
greeting and farewell.

Jarvis, without his glasses, his face