n.

Half way between the centerpiece and the plates a line of dancing
figures ran around the table linked to each other by chains made of wee
golden hearts. Ethel Blue had drawn and painted these paper dolls, so
that each represented one of the Club members and they served as place
cards as well as ornaments.

"I seem to see myself in Miles Standish's armor," said James. "Does that
mean that I'm to sit here where I can admire my warlike appearance?"

"It does," said Della, "and I've put Priscilla next you so that for once
you can cut out John Alden. Here's John Alden--that's you, Roger, and
here's a little Russian for you to take home to Dicky."

"Where am I?"

"And I?"

"And I?" cried one after the other.

"Can't you guess? This is the Muse of History," pointing to a
white-robed figure holding a scroll.

"Helen, of course," they all shouted. "And isn't this Hallowe'en witch
Ethel Brown?"

"It really looks like her!"

"And what do you guess about this songstress?"

"Dorothy, and the young lady knitting is Della."

"Right."

"I hate to think that that's my face looking out of that cabbage,"
protested Margaret, "but Ethel Blue has a wonderful ability to catch
likenesses."

"That's you, Mrs. Stalk of the Cabbage Patch, just as clearly as if it
were your photograph."

"One of these two is mine and the other is for Edward," guessed Tom. "Am
I one of the Great Twin Brethren and is Edward's the Pied Piper?"

"Right again. And this is Ayleesabet herself, and the Guardian Angel is
Miss Merriam."

"She _is_ an angel, isn't she!" exclaimed Della. "Look at these dozens
of tiny hearts. Ethel Brown cut out those and James made them into the
chains."

"Paste, paste," groaned James melodramatically. "My future calling is
that of bill-poster."

Everything that could be was pink at the dinner. The soup was tomato
bisque, the fish was salmon, the roast was beef, rare, the salad, tomato
jelly, the dessert, strawberry ice cream, and with it small cakes
heart-shaped and covered with pink icing.

In the drawing room a Cupid whirling on a card pointed with his arrow to
a number, and the person who took from Mrs. Watkins's hand the envelope
marked with the number indicated was instructed where to look for his
valentine. Helen found hers inside of the piano. The Ethels turned up
diagonal corners of the rug in the northwest corner of the library and
discovered two flat packages. Margaret sought out a small bundle tied