pronounce the letter "r"
since the arrival of Rosalind Darcy on the scene--a peculiarity which
happened regularly every autumn, and passed off again with the advent of
spring. "How can a luncheon possibly be pink?"

"That's more than I can tell you, my dear! Ask Rob. What does it mean,
Rob?" asked Peggy curiously; and Robert scowled, and shook back his
shock of hair.

"Some American fad, I believe. The idea is to have everything of one
colour--flowers, drapery, and food, china--everything that is on the
table. It's a fag and an awful handicap, for you can't have half the
things you want. But let us be modern or die--that's the motto
nowadays. Mother is always trying to get hold of new-fangled notions."

"`Peggy Saville requests the pleasure of Jane Smith's company to a
magenta supper.'--`Peggy Saville requests the pleasure of Mr Jones's
company to a purple tea.' It's a splendid idea! I like it immensely,"
said Peggy, pursing her lips, and staring in the fire in meditative
fashion. "Pink--pink--what can we eat that is pink? P-prawns,
p-pickles, p-p-pomegranates, P-aysandu tongues (you would call those
pink, wouldn't you--pinky red?) Humph! I don't think it sounds very
nice. Perhaps they dye the things with cochineal. I think I shall have
a sensible brown and green meal before I go, and then I can nibble
elegantly at the pinkies. Would it be considered a delicate mark of
attention if I wore a pink frock?"

"Certainly it would. Wear that nice one that you put on in the
evenings. Rosalind will be in pink from head to foot, you may depend on
it," said Robert confidently; whereupon Mellicent rushed headlong from
the room to find her mother, and plead eagerly that summer crepon
dresses of the desired tint should be brought forth from their
hiding-place and freshened up for the occasion. To accede to this
request meant an extra call upon time already fully occupied, but
mothers have a way of not grudging trouble where their children are
concerned. Mrs Asplin said, "Yes, darling, of course I will!" and set
to work with such goodwill that all three girls sported pink dresses
beneath their ulsters when they set off to partake of the mysterious
luncheon, a few days later.

Rosalind came to the bedroom to receive them, and looked on from an
arm-chair, while Lady Darcy's maid helped the visitors to take off their
wraps. She herself looked like a rose in her dainty pink draperies, and
Peggy had an impressio