“Not enough to hurt me.  I’m enjoying it so!  Aren’t large families lovely?  I was so much younger than my brothers and sisters that by the time I was old enough to care about having good times like this on winter evenings they were all away at school or married.  We never had anything so nice as a family orchestra, either.  I wish I could play something.”

“How about the piano?” asked Charlotte, who sat near.  Evelyn’s flush grew pinker.

“I can play a little,” she said.  “But you don’t need the piano.”

“Yes, we do.  A piano would add ever so much.  Next time we’ll have our practice at home, and give you a part.”

Then she glanced at Lucy, and saw what might have been expected, a look of envy and discontent.  “Is there anything you can play, Lucy?” she asked.  “It would be very nice to have everybody in.  Perhaps Ran could have a triangle.”

“I play the piano,” said Lucy.

“Oh, give Lucy the piano,” Evelyn said, quickly,—­also as might have been expected.

“We’ll try you both,” put in Doctor Churchill, “as they always do aspirants for such positions.”

“I’ve had lessons from the best master in our state,” said Lucy to Just.

“That so?  Then you may win out,” was his opinion.  “But you can’t be sure.  Evelyn’s not much of a bragger, but she seems to be a pretty well-educated girl.”

“Just, be careful!” warned Charlotte, in his ear, as she drew him gently to one side.  “I know you don’t like her, but you must be considerate of her.”

“I don’t feel much like it.”

“You know I want your help about Lucy.”  Charlotte had drawn him still farther away, so that she could speak with safety.  “But you know, too, that snubbing isn’t a way to get hold of anybody.”

“It’s the only way with conceited softies,” began Just.

But Charlotte caught his hand and squeezed it.  “No, it isn’t.  I’m sure she’s worth being friends with, and if she can learn certain things you can teach her in the way of athletics, and reading, and all that, you can do her lots of good.”

“Don’t feel a bit like being a missionary!” growled Just.  “Suppose I’ve got to try it, to please you.  Evelyn’s all right, isn’t she?”

“Yes, she’s a dear.  I’m so glad we kept her.  That makes me realise she’s had quite enough excitement for to-night.  I must carry her off to bed.  Perhaps you’d all better—­”

“No, you don’t!” said Just, with a rebellious laugh.  “Just because you’ve set up a sanatorium and a kindergarten you can’t send your brothers off to bed at nine o’clock.  I want a good visit with you after the infants and invalids are in bed.”

“All right, big boy,” promised Charlotte, rejoicing in the affectionate look he gave her.

She had been anxious that her marriage should in no way interfere with the old brotherly and sisterly relations, and it was a long time since she had had a confidential talk with her youngest brother.  Jeff was always coming to her precisely as in the old days, with demands for interest and advice; but Just had seemed a little farther away.