“I only went for the air,” said Nancy hastily.  “I shall not go again alone.”

Yoritomo’s face darkened, and he turned his attention to his dinner.

In the meantime the others were all amusing themselves in various ways, and there was a great deal of talk and laughter.  Miss Campbell felt rejuvenated and her rheumatic twinges had entirely disappeared.

“There is nothing like a little pleasure for driving acidity out of the system,” she thought, as she finished the last spoonful of her dessert of beautifully preserved fruits.

Onoye had entered, carrying a small lacquered tray on which lay a square, foreign-looking visiting card.

“A lady calling to the honorable old maid,” she announced calmly at Miss Campbell’s elbow.

“The what?” cried Mr. Campbell.

“The honorable old maid,” repeated poor Onoye, with her precise accent, smiling innocently.

There was a perfect shout of laughter.  Only Yoritomo’s face remained impassive, but who could tell what angry thoughts were hidden behind that mask-like face?  Billie tried to explain how the mistake had occurred, and Onoye rushed from the room in an agony of embarrassment and shame.

“Don’t scold her, Cousin.  She thought she had learned a new English word,” Billie besought Miss Campbell.

“Scold her?  I should think not.  I don’t mind being called an ’honorable old maid,’ I am sure.  But who is this caller, I wonder?” she added, in a lower voice.

Mr. Campbell examined the card with some curiosity.  “Mme. Marie Fontaine,” it read.  Miss Campbell hastened into the drawing-room, and Nancy, peeping through the doors a few minutes later, was surprised to find that Mme. Fontame was her recent companion in the garden.

The visit was very brief, and Miss Campbell presently returned looking somewhat amused and a little annoyed.

“Mme. Fontaine wished to know if she might have an interview with the Motor Maids on the subject of their motor trip across the American continent and through the British Isles.”

“And what did you tell her?” demanded the four girls in one voice, it must be confessed somewhat eagerly.

“I told her that while we appreciated the compliment, it would be impossible.”

“Quite right,” said Mr. Campbell.  “Publicity is the thing of all others I wish to avoid, and if an article like that appeared in a Tokyo paper, either in Japanese or English, you would probably be the object of the most disagreeable curiosity.  Am I not right, Yoritomo?”

“Oh, yes.  It would not be agreeable to the young ladies.  Many people would come to look at them.”

“I am very glad my action is approved, then,” said Miss Campbell.  “I have an old-fashioned horror of notoriety like that, and I am sure none of my girls would care to see herself in a newspaper.  Would she?”

“No, indeed,” they answered promptly in a chorus.