I don't suppose you're keeping house in there with Grace Stepney, eh ?--and it struck me you might be rather at loose ends." In Lily's present mood there was no resisting the honest friendliness of this appeal, and she said with a smile: "I am at loose ends for the moment, but Gerty Farish is still in town, and she's good enough to let me be with her whenever she can spare the time." Mrs.Fisher made a slight grimace.

"H'm--that's a temperate joy.

Oh, I know--Gerty's a trump, and worth all the rest of us put together; but A LA LONGUE you're used to a little higher seasoning, aren't you, dear?
And besides, I suppose she'll be off herself before long--the first of August, you say?
Well, look here, you can't spend your summer in town; we'll talk of that later too.

But meanwhile, what do you say to putting a few things in a trunk and coming down with me to the Sam Gormers' tonight ?" And as Lily stared at the breathless suddenness of the suggestion, she continued with her easy laugh: "You don't know them and they don't know you; but that don't make a rap of difference.

They've taken the Van Alstyne place at Roslyn, and I've got CARTE BLANCHE to bring my friends down there--the more the merrier.