Jarvis laughed.  “It’s hard to get round you.  But you don’t mind?  Mother and Jo are certainly near enough to being mother and sister to you to be allowed a bit of fun like this.”

“You are sure brother Jarvis didn’t have a hand?”

It was on his lips to tell her that whatever relation he might hold to her, that of brother wouldn’t do—­but he restrained the words.  Not yet!  It would be a pity to risk anything yet—­certainly not now, when her mind was full of the coming party.  Beside, he was not at all sure that a word might not spoil all his chances.  Sally, in spite of her twenty years, was, in some ways, still such a girl.

So he only answered gayly:  “Both hands, if you don’t mind.  It took hands, shoulders, and back to get the stuff down from our attic!”

Donald Ferry and his mother now came up the steps, and Jarvis and Sally turned to greet them.  Ferry had given them both a quick look of keen scrutiny as he saw them standing there alone together under the lanterns.  For some time he had been observing that the two seemed to be close friends.  What he thought, however, could not have been told from his manner, for he had never seemed in a blither mood as he shook hands and presented himself to Sally in the capacity of one of her right-hand men.

“Thank you,” she answered, looking at him precisely as she had looked at Jarvis, with the girlish fearlessness and absence of coquetry which is so charming at her age, much as a younger brother sometimes looks at an elder one whom he sincerely likes and admires.  “I’ve just been telling Jarvis that no girl ever had nicer friends.  You’ve all worked like slaves, and I do hope you’ll have good times enough to-night to half pay you.  Jarvis, please present Mr. Ferry to the prettiest, jolliest girls we know, won’t you?  And don’t forget to take advantage of your chance to dance with the nicest ones yourself,” she added, laughing, and leading the way into the house with Mrs. Ferry, who, with Mrs. Burnside, was to chaperon the party.

Both Jarvis’s and Ferry’s eyes followed the graceful young figure as it made its way with the elder one down the hall, among the parti-coloured lights.  Then, for some reason, they turned to look at each other, and smiled.  “Are you prepared to do your duty by those prettiest and jolliest girls?” inquired Ferry.

“If you are.  It’s the surest way of pleasing Sally,” replied Jarvis, with conviction.

Sally’s characterization of the girls who were her guests was undoubtedly a true one.  They were attractive young people, indeed, who shortly came trooping up the steps, in gauzy gowns of all hues.  Youth and happiness are always good to look upon, and freshness of skin and brightness of eye make features not strictly beautiful charming in their own way.