She cast a nervous glance at the door. She had told little Cupid to wait down by the landing and warn her by a secret signal the moment he heard the splash of oars approaching on the creek. It must be nearly time. Her guests at least had eaten plenty. The men, indeed, had paid her food the compliment of silent and concentrated consumption. They now pushed back their plates and wiped their mouths. Colonel William extracted his gold toothpick from his pocket and plied it vigorously. The white doves had vanished, their nest was demolished, and the proud cake castle had crumbled to pathetic ruins.

As Theo rose, and the other ladies with her, she saw Cupid flash by the door, his small black face twisted into a grimace of conspiracy. She nodded, and, leading the way to the drawing-room, instructed the banjo players to strike up a tune. The ladies would not like it, but no matter. She no longer cared what they thought, and the noise would help to cover her retreat and Aaron's arrival.

'Will you excuse me a moment?' she murmured, and without waiting for their stiff bows slipped out of the room. She caught up a long dark cloak from a corner of the porch where she had hidden it and ran down the path beside the house. Cupid joined her with a lantern, and they scurried together on the hard trampled quarter-mile to the landing.

The barge had already been tied up to the dock. She saw the black, half-naked figures of the boatmen by the light of their torch, and then, detached from them, advancing toward her, came Aaron, erect and lithe as ever in a dark gray suit and beaver hat that showed not the slightest trace of his grueling travel.

'Father, darling!' she cried, flinging her arms around his neck. 'Oh, I'm so glad to see you! So glad!' Her voice broke. She had not known how much she had longed for him, or the full extent of her worry about him, until she saw him. It was all right now. What did the Alstons matter, or the failure of her silly party? He was here with her, and between them they could manage or defy the world. Joy washed over her like a golden wave.

He kissed her tenderly and laughed. 'How now, Miss Prissy, do you greet me with tears? I should hardly have traveled a thousand miles to you for such a reception'. But her joy was reflected in him too.

'Where is your estimable husband?' he asked 'Up at the house; we have guests. I—I didn't tell him you were coming today.'

' So? And why not, pray?'

She hesitated, then tucked her hand through his arm. 'Father, we have so much to talk about, I don't know where to begin. Let's not go back to the house yet. I want you for myself a little while. '