Shall we?
Yes, then!" He did not wait for an answer, but opened the door of a cupboard in the sideboard, and there, quite ready, stood half a dozen bottles of champagne.

A doubt flashed into Sylvia's mind--a doubt whether her father's brilliant idea was really the inspiration which his manner had suggested.

Those bottles looked so obviously got in for the occasion.
But Garratt Skinner turned to her apologetically, as though he divined her thought.
"We don't run to a wine cellar, Sylvia.

We have to keep what little stock we can afford in here." Her doubt vanished, but in an instant it returned again, for as her father came round the table with the bottle in his hand, she noticed that shallow champagne glasses were ready laid at every place.

Garratt Skinner filled the glasses and returned to his place.
"Sylvia," he said, and, smiling, he drank to her.