ours to feed this hungry mob of people
in addition to your regular guests, Lyddy?"

"Why--if they'll take 'pot luck,'" laughed Lyddy. "Literally 'pot luck,' I
mean, for the piece de resistance will be two huge pots of baked beans."

"And such beans!" exclaimed Grandmother Castle.

"And such 'brown loaf' to go with them," suggested Harris Colesworth.

"And old-fashioned 'Injun pudding' baked in a brick oven," added Mr. Bray,
smiling. "There is a huge one, I know."

"I am not sure that there wasn't method in your madness, Mother," declared
Mr. Castle. "All this sounds mighty tempting."

"And it will taste even more tempting," declared the elder Mrs. Castle.

"Let the hamper stay where it is," commanded her son, to the chauffeur.
"We'll partake of the Misses Bray's hospitality."

The younger Castles, and the gentleman's wife, might have been in some
doubt at first; but when they were set down to the long dining table,
with Lyddy's hot viands steaming on the cloth--with the flowers, and
beautiful old damask, and blue-and-white china of a by-gone day, and the
heavy silver, and the brightness and cheerfulness of it all, they, too,
became enthusiastic.

"It's the most delightful place to visit we've ever found," declared Miss
Virginia Castle.

"It's too sweet for anything," agreed Miss Lucy. "I hope you'll come this
way in the car again, Dad."

"I reckon we will if Grandma is going to make this her headquarters--and
she declares she's going to stay," said Master Tom.

"Do you blame her?" returned his father, with a sigh of plenitude, as he
pushed back from the table.

"Well! I can't convince myself that she ought to stay here; but you're all
against me, I see," said their mother. "And, it really _is_ a delightful
place."

The Bray girls were proud of their success in satisfying such a party; and
Lyddy was particularly pleased when Mr. Castle drew her aside and put a
ten-dollar note in her hand.

"Don't say a word! It was worth it. I only hope you won't be over-run by
auto parties and your place be spoiled. If you have any others, however,
charge them enough. It is better entertainment than we could possibly get
at any road house for the same money."

And so Lyddy got ten dollars toward her kitchen range.

While the ladies were getting into the tonneau, however, Miss Bray
overheard a few words 'twixt Harris Colesworth and young Tom Castle that
made her suspicious. She came out upon the side porch to wave the