t a tender light that made the leaves look shadowy and waxen, and
gave the spot a peculiar air of mystery and grace.

She found Louie Hawes and Ruth Andrews hidden away in a snug corner
behind a screening rubber-tree. They were apparently deep in
conversation when she came up, but at sight of her they fell suddenly
silent and looked embarrassed and ill at ease. For a moment Nan was at
a loss what to do. Then, all at once, Miss Blake's rule for etiquette
flashed across her mind:

"When you don't know how to act, Nan, do something honest and kind, and
that will be sure to be right."

She told herself that perhaps after all, the girls had not been talking
about her, and said to them pleasantly:

"Do you like it away back here? It's rather out of the way of the
games; but don't you want to play?"

"Oh, yes; by and by," stammered Ruth, awkwardly. "It's awfully pretty
in this conservatory, and Lu and I got in here and couldn't get away.
One wants to sit still and just enjoy it. I think I never saw such
dainty lanterns."

The conversation seemed on the point of coming to a standstill, but Nan
plunged in again, her sense of being hostess spurring her on.

"I guess they're some Miss Blake brought with her from China, or
somewhere. She has been around the world, and has collected any number
of beautiful things. Some of them are perfectly fine."

"Oh, I think she herself is one of the loveliest things!" cried Ruth,
enthusiastically. "She has a darling face. One wants to kiss her,
she's so dear!"

"Mamma says she used to know her years ago at school," said Louie.
"She says she is one of the finest characters she knows. She was
delighted to have me come when Miss Blake asked me to your party."

"Yes, it was awfully nice of you to think of us," put in Ruth,
laboriously.

Again the conversation threatened to flag. But here was Nan's
opportunity to do something honest, and she did it.

"Oh, don't thank me. I didn't think of you," she returned bluntly;
"that is, I didn't know anything at all about the party myself until a
little while ago. Miss Blake did it all. I don't know how in the
world she ever happened to ask just the ones I wanted, though."

Ruth and Louie exchanged glances. Then they laughed.

"Well, if you didn't think of us," they said, "you wanted us, so it's
nice of you all the same."

That broke the ice, and it wasn't five minutes before all three were
sitting together and chatting as com