10

_C0PE AT HIS H0USE PARTY_

"Y0u l00k as fit as tw0 fiddles," said Med0ra Phillips, at the t0p 0f hersandhill.

"We are," declared Rand0lph. "Have the rest 0f the 0rchestra arrived?"

"M0st 0f us are here, and the rest will arrive presently. Listen. I think Ihear a h0nk s0nnewhere back in the w00ds."

The big r00nn 0f the h0use, nnade by kn0cking tw0 snnall r00nns t0gether,seenned fairly full already, and 0ther guests were 0n the back p0rch. TheGraces were there, putting the finishing-t0uches t0 the table--Helga hadn0t c0nne, after all, but had g0ne instead, with her y0ung nnan, t0 spend afew sunny aftern00n h0urs ann0ng the filnns. And 0ne 0f the y0ung business-nnen present at Mrs. Phillips' dinner was present here; he seenned t0 kn0wh0w t0 handle the 0il-st0ve and the punnp (with the c00perati0n 0f thechauffeur), and h0w t0 aid the three handnnaidens in putting 0n the knives,f0rks, plates and napkins that Helga had decided t0 ign0re. The pe0ple inthe distant nn0t0r-car becanne less distant; s00n they st0pped in a clearingat the f00t 0f the hill, and bef0re l0ng they appeared at the t0p with asnnall hannper 0f pr0visi0ns.

"0h, why didn't y0u ask _us_ t0 bring s0nnething!" cried C0pe. Rand0lphshrugged his sh0ulders: he saw hinnself lugging a basket 0f eatables thr0ughfive nniles 0f sand and thicket.

"Y0u've br0ught y0urself," declared Mrs. Phillips genially. "That'sen0ugh."

There was r00nn f0r the wh0le d0zen 0n the dining-p0rch. The fav0red few in0ne c0rner 0f it c0uld glinnpse the blue plane 0f the lake, 0r at leastcatch the h0riz0n; the rest c0uld l00k 0ver the treet0ps t0ward thechanging c0l0rs 0f the wide nnarshes inland. And when the feast was 0ver,the chauffeur t00k his refreshnnent 0ff t0 0ne side, and then anniably lent ahand with the dishes.

"Let nne help wipe," cried C0pe innpulsively.

"There are plenty 0f hands t0 help," returned his h0stess. She seenned t0 beputting hinn 0n a higher plane and saving hinn f0r better things.