en born and bred. Miss Amelia, bringing in
the tea-tray, was an unclassed being, neither maid nor mistress, but
outranking either. She had tied on a white apron. She bore the
silver tray with an ease which bespoke either nerve or muscle in her
lace-draped arms.

She poured the tea, holding the silver pot high and letting the amber
fluid trickle slowly, and the pearls and diamonds on her thin hands
shone dully. Sophia passed little china plates and fringed napkins, and
Anna a silver basket with golden squares of sponge-cake.

The ladies ate and drank, and the blue and white bundle on the sofa
remained motionless. Eudora, after she had finished her tea, leaned
back gracefully in her chair, and her dark eyes gleamed with its mild
stimulus. She remained an hour or more. When she went out, Amelia
slipped an envelope into her hand and at the same time embraced and
kissed her. Sophia and Anna followed her example. Eudora opened her
mouth as if to speak, but smiled instead, a fond, proud smile. During
the last fifteen minutes of her stay Amelia had slipped out of the
room with the blue and white bundle. Now she brought it out and laid it
carefully in the carriage.

"We are always so glad to see you, dearest Eudora," said she, "but you
understand--"

"Yes," said Sophia, "you understand, Eudora dear, that there is not the
slightest haste."

Eudora nodded, and her long neck seemed to grow longer.

When she was stepping regally down the path, Amelia said in a hasty
whisper to Sophia: "Did you tell her?"

Sophia shook her head. "No, sister."

"I didn't know but you might have, while I was out of the room."

"I did not," said Sophia. She looked doubtfully at Amelia, then at Anna,
and doubt flashed back and forth between the three pairs of blue eyes
for a second. Then Sophia spoke with authority, because she was the
only one of them all who had entered the estate of matrimony, and had
consequently obvious cognizance of such matters.

"I think," said she, "that Eudora should be told that Harry Lawton has
come back and is boarding at the Wellwood Inn."

"You think," faltered Amelia, "that it is possible she might meet him
unexpectedly?"

"I certainly do think so. And she might show her feelings in a way which
she would ever afterward regret."

"You think, then, that she--"

Sophia gave her sister a look. Amelia fled after Eudora and the
baby-carriage. She overtook her at the gate. She laid her hand on
Eudora's arm, dr