ned from her walk, and who on learning how
matters stood, declared her intention of helping too.

"If there's anything I like, it's being in a muss," said she, and
throwing aside her leghorn flat, pinning up her sleeves, and
fastening back her curls in imitation of 'Lena, she was soon up to
her elbows in cooking--her dress literally covered with flour, eggs,
and cream, and her face as red as the currant jelly which Hagar
brought from the china closet. "There's a pie fit for a queen or
Lady Graham either," said she, depositing in the huge oven her first
attempt in the pie line.

But alas! Malcolm Everett's words of love spoken beneath the
wide-spreading sycamore were still ringing in Anna's ears, so it was
no wonder she _salted_ the custard instead of sweetening it. But no
one noticed the mistake, and when the pie was done, both 'Lena and
Hagar praised its white, uncurdled appearance.

"Now we shall just have time to change our dresses," said Anna, when
everything pertaining to the dinner was in readiness, but 'Lena,
knowing how flushed and heated she was, and remembering Durward's
distaste of high colors, announced her determination of not appearing
at the table.

"I shall see that grandma is nicely dressed," said she, "and you must
look after her a little, for I shall not come down."

So saying she ran up to her room, where she found Mrs. Nichols in a
great state of fermentation to know "who was below, and what the
doin's was, I should of gone down," said she, "but I know'd 'Tilda
would be madder'n a hornet."

'Lena commended her discretion in remaining where she was, and then
informing her that Mr. Bellmont's father and mother were there, she
proceeded to make some alterations in her dress. The handsome black
silk and neat lace cap, both the Christmas gift of John Jr., were
donned, and then, staff in hand, the old lady started for the
dining-room, 'Lena giving her numerous charges not to talk much, and
on no account to mention her favorite topic--Nancy Scovandyke!

"Nancy's as good any day as Miss Graham, if she did marry a live
lord," was grandma's mental comment, as the last-mentioned lady,
rustling in a heavy brocade and loaded down with jewelry, took her
place at the table.

Purposely, Mrs. Livingstone omitted an introduction which her
husband, through fear of her, perhaps, failed to give. But not so
with John Jr. To be sure, he cared not a fig, on his grandmother's
account, whether she were introd