The next thing was to be sure that everybody should be in the right place at the tea-table, and this the Widow thought she could manage by a few words to the older guests and a little shuffling about and shifting when they got to the table.  To settle everything the Widow made out a diagram, which the reader should have a chance of inspecting in an authentic copy, if these pages were allowed under any circumstances to be the vehicle of illustrations.  If, however, he or she really wishes to see the way the pieces stood as they were placed at the beginning of the game, (the Widow’s gambit,) he or she had better at once take a sheet of paper, draw an oval, and arrange the characters according to the following schedule.

At the head of the table, the Hostess, Widow Marilla Rowens.  Opposite her, at the other end, Rev. Dr. Honeywood.  At the right of the Hostess, Dudley Venner, next him Helen Darley, next her Dr. Kittredge, next him Mrs. Blanche Creamer, then the Reverend Doctor.  At the left of the Hostess, Bernard Langdon, next him Letty Forester, next Letty Mr. Richard Venner, next him Elsie, and so to the Reverend Doctor again.

The company came together a little before the early hour at which it was customary to take tea in Rockland.  The Widow knew everybody, of course:  who was there in Rockland she did not know?  But some of them had to be introduced:  Mr. Richard Venner to Mr. Bernard, Mr. Bernard to Miss Letty, Dudley Venner to Miss Helen Darley, and so on.  The two young men looked each other straight in the eyes,—­both full of youthful life, but one of frank and fearless aspect, the other with a dangerous feline beauty alien to the New England half of his blood.

The guests talked, turned over the prints, looked at the flowers, opened the “Proverbial Philosophy” with gilt edges, and the volume of Plays by W. Shakspeare, examined the horse-pictures on the walls, and so passed away the time until tea was announced, when they paired off for the room where it was in readiness.  The Widow had managed it well; everything was just as she wanted it.  Dudley Venner was between herself and the poor tired-looking schoolmistress with her faded colors.  Blanche Creamer, a lax, tumble-to-pieces, Greuze-ish looking blonde, whom the Widow hated because the men took to her, was purgatoried between the two old Doctors, and could see all the looks that passed between Dick Venner and his cousin.  The young schoolmaster could talk to Miss Letty:  it was his business to know how to talk to school-girls.  Dick would amuse himself with his cousin Elsie.  The old Doctors only wanted to be well fed and they would do well enough.