.

It was Just's turn to stare. Then he straightened shoulders which were
already pretty square. "Would you mind telling me why not? That is,
provided we can do it well enough."

"I think it's a mighty queer thing to do," insisted Lucy, with
disapproval.

Carolyn Houghton appeared and beckoned Just and Chester out into the
hall. Lucy followed, not liking to be left alone. Everybody seemed to be
forgetting her, although Chester had turned, and said cordially, "That's
right, Miss Lucy! Come and help us plan."

Carolyn lost no time. "It's fine of you," she said eagerly. "Yes, I'm
sure you can do it. Not one person in fifty will know whether the tunes
you play are national or not. Something quaint and queer for the
Hungarian, and jigsy and gay for the Irish. Castanets in the Spanish
dance--have you them?"

"Young Randolph Peyton can work those," began Just, looking at Lucy.

She frowned. "Really, I don't believe you'd better have him in it," she
said, with such an air that Carolyn glanced at her in amazement, and
Chester coughed and turned away.

"Oh, very well!" Just answered, instantly. "You can do 'em yourself,
then, Ches."

"All right," said Chester. "There is a big screen of palms and ferns for
the orchestra," he explained, with satisfaction, to Lucy. "Nobody'll
know who's performing, anyhow."

"Oh!" said Lucy.

Carolyn had soon convinced Just that the little home orchestra could
undertake the music without much fear of failure.

"Of course there's a chance that the change may put the dancers out, yet
I don't think so. I noticed it was rather simple music, and they're so
well drilled they're not very dependent on the music. Anyhow, people
will be too interested in the costumes and the steps to notice whether
the music is strictly appropriate. As long as you give them something in
precisely the right time, I don't believe the change will bother them. I
can coach you on that."

"All right," and Just hurried back to the telephone.

Within three-quarters of an hour he had them all there, a laughing crew,
ready for what struck them as a frolic for themselves. Chester Agnew
carried the instruments behind the screen, and managed to slip the
members of the new orchestra one by one from the dining-room doorway to
the shelter of the palms without anybody's being the wiser. In ten
minutes more soft music began to steal through the crowded rooms.

"The orchestra has come, after all," said Mrs. Agnew to her husban