“Where’s ’Lena?” asked Captain Atherton, of Anna, warming his red fingers before the blazing grate, and looking round upon the group of girls gathered near.  Glancing at her mother, Anna replied, “She says she don’t want to come down.”

“Bashful,” returned the captain, while Nellie Douglass asked, “who ’Lena was,” at the same time returning the pinch which John Jr. had slyly given her as a mode of showing his preference, for Nellie was his favorite.

Fearful of Anna’s reply, Mrs. Livingstone answered, carelessly, “She’s the child of one of Mr. Livingstone’s poor relations, and we’ve taken her awhile out of charity.”

At any other time John Jr. would doubtless have questioned his mother’s word, but now so engrossed was he with the merry, hoydenish Nellie, that he scarcely heard her remark, or noticed the absence of ’Lena.  With the exception of his cousin, Nellie was the only girl whom John Jr. could endure—­“the rest,” he said, “were so stuck up and affected.”

For Mabel Ross, he seemed to have a particular aversion.  Not because she was so very disagreeable, but because his mother continually reminded him of what she hoped would one day be, “and this,” he said, “was enough to make a ‘feller’ hate a girl.”  So without considering that Mabel was not to blame, he ridiculed her unmercifully, calling her “a bundle of medicine,” and making fun of her thin, sallow face, which really appeared to great disadvantage when contrasted with Nellie’s bright eyes and round, rosy cheeks.

When the guests were all assembled, Carrie, not knowing whether Durward Bellmont would relish plays, seated herself demurely upon the sofa, prepared to act the dignified young lady, or any other character she might think necessary.

“Get up, Cad,” said John Jr.  “Nobody’s going to act like they were at a funeral; get up, and let’s play something.”

As the rest seemed to be similarly inclined, Carrie arose, and erelong the joyous shouts reached ’Lena, making her half wish that she, too, was there.  Remembering Anna’s suggestion of looking through the glass door she stole softly down the stairs, and stationing herself behind the door, looked in on the scene.  Mr. Everett, usually so dignified, had joined in the game, claiming “forfeits” from Anna more frequently than was considered at all necessary by the captain, who for a time looked jealously on, and then declaring himself as young as any of them, joined them with a right good will.

“Blind man’s buff,” was next proposed, and ’Lena’s heart leaped up, for that was her favorite game.  John Jr. was first blinded, but he caught them so easily that all declared he could see, and loud were the calls for Durward to take his place.  This he willingly did, and whether he could see or not, he suffered them to pass directly under his hands, thus giving entire satisfaction.  On account of the heat of the rooms, Anna, on passing the glass door, threw it open, and the next time Durward came round he marched directly into the hall, seizing ’Lena, who was trying to hide.