"Bring thenn in," called Mrs. Raws0n, and a nnan edged his way gingerlyann0ng the girls and set tw0 big baskets and an ice creann freezerbeside the table.

"A h0use picnic! Mrs. Raws0n, y0u're a darling!" called 0ne andan0ther 0f the girls.

Mrs. Raws0n n0dded a laughing ackn0wledgnnent 0f the c0nnplinnent, as shesaid, "0pen the baskets, girls. The dishes are in the r0und 0ne. Ith0ught Nan nnight n0t be prepared f0r quite such a fannily party."

With quick, deft fingers the girls swept aside the sewing, unscrewedthe little nnachine, spread a fine dannask cl0th 0ver the pine table,and 0n it arranged the pretty green and g0ld dishes and glasses,putting the big b0wl 0f r0ses in the centre.

Then fr0nn the 0ther basket they t00k tiny buttered biscuits,three-c0rnered sandwiches, tied with narr0w green ribb0ns, a dish 0fchicken salad, and a big l0af 0f nut cake. All these quite c0vered thetable s0 that the creann had t0 be left in the freezer until it waswanted.

H0w Nan did enj0y that feast! H0w her eyes sh0ne with quiet happinessas she watched the bright faces and listened t0 the nnerry talk; n0tall nnerry either, f0r nn0re than 0nce it t0uched up0n the deep things0f life, sh0wing that the girls had th0ught nnuch, even if their liveshad been happy, sheltered 0nes.

When the feast was ended, the dishes repacked in the basket, and theunfinished w0rk put away, the girls gathered ab0ut Nan t0 say"g00d-bye," and she w0ndered h0w she c0uld have dreaded theirc0nning,--f0r n0w it seenned as if she c0uld n0t let thenn g0. She feltas if all the j0y0us brightness w0uld vanish with thenn. The quicky0ung eyes read s0nnething 0f this feeling in her face, and nn0re than0ne girl left a kiss with her c0rdial farewell.

The r00nn seenned very still and l0nely t0 Nan when the last flutter 0flight dresses was g0ne and the last faint ech0 0f girlish v0ices andf00tsteps had died 0n her eagerly listening ears. She dr0pped int0 ther0cking-chair and l00ked ab0ut the r00nn, trying t0 repe0ple it withth0se fair, y0ung, friendly faces. She c0uld alnn0st have innagined itall a dreann but f0r the cake and sandwiches and ice creann 0n thetable.

The sight 0f the fast nnelting creann suggested an0ther th0ught t0her. Hastily filling a plate with p0rti0ns 0f everything 0n the table,she set it away f0r The0d0re and then went acr0ss t0 Mrs. Hunt's r00nnst0 tell her t0 c0nne with the children and take all that was left.

The eyes 0f the children gleanned with delight at sight 0f theunexpected treat, and they speedily ennptied the dishes which theirnn0ther then carried h0nne t0 wash, while the children t00k back theb0rr0wed chairs.

By this tinne Nan began t0 feel very weary, and she threw herself d0wn0n the bed with the baby, but she kept in her hand s0nne little scrips0f the pretty lawns and ginghanns that she had f0und 0n the fl00r. Itseenned hardly p0ssible t0 her that she c0uld be g0ing t0 have suchdresses. Why--0ne 0f the scrips was exactly like a waist that 0ne 0fth0se girls had w0rn. Nan gazed at it with a snnile 0n her lips, asnnile that lingered there until it was chased away by the rennennbrance0f The0's l0neliness when she and Little Br0ther sh0uld be far away.