oment Aunt Caroline came in.

"Are you there, Benis?" asked Aunt Caroline unnecessarily. "I wish you
would come in and take--oh, I did not mean you to come in through the
window. If Olive saw you! But a Spence has no idea of dignity. Now that
you are in, I wish you would take Desire up to your room. I wired Olive
to prepare the west room. It is grey and pink, so nice for Desire who
is somewhat pale. The bed is very comfortable, too, and large. But, of
course, if you prefer any other room you will change. Desire, my dear,
it is your home, I do not forget that. I have had your bags carried up.
Benis can manage his own."

If Desire were pale naturally, she was more than pale now. Her
frightened eyes fluttered to her husband's face and fluttered away
again. Why had she never thought of this! Sheer panic held her quiet in
the straight-backed chair.

But Spence, without seeming to notice, had seen and understood her
startled eyes.

"Thanks, Aunt," he said cheerfully. "Of course Desire must make her own
choice. But if she takes my tip she will stay where you've put her.
It's a jolly room. As for me, I'm going up to my old diggings--thought
I'd told you."

"What!"

Aunt Caroline's remark was not a question. It was an explosion.

Spence dropped his bantering manner.

"My dear Aunt. I hate to disturb your arrangements with my
eccentricities. But insomnia is a hard master. I must sleep in my old
room. We'll consider that settled."

"Humph!" said Aunt Caroline.

Like the house, she was somewhat old fashioned.

CHAPTER XX

Tea had been laid on the west lawn under the maples.

Possibly some time in the past the Spences had been a leisured people.
They had brought from the old country the tradition of afternoon tea.
Many others had, no doubt, done the same but with these others the
tradition had not persisted. In the more crowded life of a new country
they had let it go. The Spences had not let it go. It wasn't their way.
And in time it had assumed the importance of a survival. It stood for
some-thing. Other Bainbridgers had "Teas." The Spences had "tea."

Desire had been in her new home a month and had just made a remark
which showed her astonished Aunt Caroline that tea was no more of a
surprise to her than fireplaces had been.

"Do you mean to tell me you have always had tea?" Miss Campion ceased
from pouring in pure surprise.

"Why, yes." Desire's surprise was even greater than Aunt Caroline's.
"Li Ho n