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.

How pretty the tables look, all lighted up among the trees! And such an uproar!"-- as they came into the jolly tumult and passed in among a labyrinth of tables, greeted laughingly from every side.
Under a vigorous young oak-tree thickly festooned with lanterns Austin found an unoccupied table.

There was a great deal of racket and laughter from the groups surrounding them, but this seemed to be the only available spot; besides, Austin was hungry, and he said so.
Nina, with Selwyn on her left, looked around for Gerald and Lansing.
When the latter came sauntering up, Austin questioned him, but he replied carelessly that Gerald had gone to join some people whom he, Lansing, did not know very well.
"Why, there he is now!" exclaimed Eileen, catching sight of her brother seated among a very noisy group on the outer edge of the illuminated zone.

"Who are those people, Nina?
Oh! Rosamund Fane is there, too; and--and--" She ceased speaking so abruptly that Selwyn turned around; and Nina bit her lip in vexation and glanced at her husband.