combination, and
things in this country might, perhaps, have been less chaotic if we had
taught newcomers to link love of God with love of liberty.

"Mr. Dalton is coming to see the birds," said Becky, and in a moment she
had spoiled everything for Randy.

"Is that why you put on your blue dress?"

She was honest. "I am not sure. Perhaps."

"Yet you thought the old white one was good enough for me."

"Well, don't you like me just as well in my old white as in this?"

"Yes, of course."

"Well, then," Becky was triumphant, "why should I bother to change for
you, Randy, when you like me just as well in anything?"

The argument was unanswerable, but Randy was not satisfied. "It is a
mistake," he said, "not to be as nice to old friends as new ones."

"But I am nice. You said so yourself this afternoon. That I was sugar
and spice and everything--nice----"

He laughed. "You are, of course. And I didn't come all the way from
France to quarrel with you----"

"We've always quarreled, Randy."

"I wonder why?"

"Sister Loretta says that people only argue when they like each other.
Otherwise they wouldn't want to convince."

"Do you quarrel with Sister Loretta?"

"Of course not. Nuns don't. But she writes notes when she doesn't agree
with me--little sermons--and pins them on my pillow. She's a great
dear. She hates to have me leave the school. She has the feeling that
the world is a dark forest, and that I am Red Riding Hood, and that the
Wolf will get me."

II

Dalton found them all at dinner when he reached Huntersfield. He was not
in the least prepared for the scene which met his eyes--shining
mahogany, old silver and Sheffield, tall white candles, Calvin in a
snowy jacket, Mrs. Beaufort and Mrs. Paine in low-necked gowns, the
Judge and Randy in dinner coats somewhat the worse for wear, Becky in
thin, delicate blue, with a string of pearls which seemed to George an
excellent imitation of the real thing.

He had thought that the trail of Mrs. Paine's boarding-house might be
over it all. He had known boarding-houses as a boy, before his father
made his money. There had been basement dining-rooms, catsup bottles,
and people passing everything to everybody else!

"I'm afraid I'm early," he said in his quick voice.

"Not a bit. Calvin, place a chair for Mr. Dalton."

There were fruit and nuts and raisins in a great silver Pegeen, with fat
cupids making love among garlands. There was coffee in Severus cups