“Thank you, but I’ve no doubt mother can arrange—­” Louis Gray began, when old Matthew Kendrick interrupted him: 

“We can do better than that, Dick,” said he.  He turned to Louis.  “We will wait,” said he, “while you present my compliments to your mother and say that it will give me great satisfaction if she will allow me to entertain an overflow party of her guests.”

Hardly able to believe his ears, Richard stared at his grandfather.  What had come over him, who had lived in such seclusion for so many years, that he should be offering hospitality at midnight to total strangers?  He smiled to himself.  But the next moment a thought struck him.

“Grandfather,” he said hurriedly, “why not specially invite that delightful couple—­the one they call ‘Uncle Rufus’ and his wife?”

“An excellent idea,” Mr. Kendrick agreed, “though they might not be willing to make the change at so late an hour.”

“People who were dancing with spirit ten minutes ago will be ready to travel right now,” prophesied Richard.  He took flying leaps up the stairs in pursuit of Louis.  Catching him on the next floor, he made his request known.  Louis received it without sign of surprise, but inwardly, as he hurried away, he was speculating upon what agencies could be at work with the young man, that he should be so eager to do this deed of extraordinary friendliness.

Mrs. Gray hesitated over Matthew Kendrick’s invitation, although her hospitable home was already crowded to the roof-tree.  But, taking Judge Calvin Gray into her counsels, she was so strongly advised by him to accept the offer that she somewhat reluctantly consented to do so.

“It’s great, Eleanor, simply great!” he urged.  “It will do my friend Matthew mere good than anything that has happened to him in a twelvemonth.  As for young Richard—­from what I’ve seen to-night you’ve nothing to fear from his part in the affair.  Let them have Rufus and Ruth—­they’ll enjoy it hugely.  And give them as many more as will relieve the congestion.  Matthew could take care of a regiment in that stone barracks of his.”

“Sending Rufus and Ruth would give me quite space enough,” she declared.  “Rufus has the largest room in the house, and I could put this last party there.  It is really very kind of Mr. Kendrick, and I shall be glad to solve my problem in that way, since you think it best.”

Mr. and Mrs. Rufus Gray, having the question put to them, acceded to it with readiness.  Both had been warmly drawn toward Richard, and though his grandfather had seemed to them a figure of somewhat unnecessarily dignified reserve, the mere fact of his extending the invitation at all was to them sufficient proof of his cordiality.

“It’s nothing at all to pack up,” Mrs. Rufus asserted.  “I’ll just take what I need for the night, and we’ll be coming over for the tree in the morning, so I can get my other things then.  I shall call it a real treat to be inside the home of such a wealthy man.  How lonely he must be, living in such a great house, with only his grandson!”