Charlotte Creston, who had been
the first to discover James Mandeville bewailing the disappearance of
his cake before Mr. Goodman's gate, some hours earlier, and after
trying to console him had taken him back to his friends. This seemed
to entitle her to an invitation, which she delightedly accepted. Mammy
Belle and Susanna were there, also, to look on.

It is certain that never before in his life had Giant Despair
participated in a scene of such childish gayety. He was exceedingly
gruff and awkward, but no amount of gruffness could dismay James
Mandeville.

The sight of Giant Despair seated at the small table, personating the
fifth guest for whom Miss Pennington assured him they had been on the
lookout, and drinking a cup of tea in lieu of the goodies the young
host pressed upon him, was one not soon to be forgotten. After a time
he succumbed to the humor of it, and blew out his candle with the
rest.

James Mandeville did his best to be entertaining. He sang, and recited
Mother Goose, after which he climbed on Giant Despair's knee and asked
for a story.

This was something Giant Despair couldn't do, but he showed the big
seals on his watch chain, and dropped some bright new five-cent pieces
into the chubby hand.

The old man walked home in a somewhat dazed condition. He told himself
roughly that he had turned fool; and yet more than once that evening,
as he sat by his lonely fireside, he felt again the pressure of James
Mandeville's warm little body upon his knee and heard the childish
voice, prompted by Mammy Belle, saying, "Thank you for coming to my
party, Mr. Goodman."

CHAPTER NINETEENTH

TEA AND TALK

"I used to think if ever I kept a shop there would be a bell on the
door to jingle cheerily whenever a customer entered." Norah spoke from
the window where she was occupied in making some changes. Outside the
rain fell steadily, the terrace gardens had a soaked, dismal look, and
the street was almost deserted, except for an occasional wagon.

"If it will add to your happiness, we will have it put in; but I doubt
if you would be able to find one that would ring cheerily,--they
usually jangle."

"I suppose that depends somewhat on the hearer; however, we must
confine ourselves for the present to the strict necessities of life.
Did it ever occur to you, Marion, how the old-fashioned bell is
passing? When I was a child, the milkmen heralded their approach with
bells; and maids would appear with bo