“So just for a matter of silly pride you would throw away a good five dollars which I could not have anyhow, since I cannot be in two places at the same time. I thought better of you, Ellen North, after all Rindy Crump’s training. All right, I’ll get Sophy Bennett to give the music here; she will never refuse the fee, I can assure you.” “Oh, Mr. Todd, don’t get her; she plays so execrably.” “Nobody else; it must be you or her.” “Then I give in. I accept the offer gratefully. A great load is lifted. Thank you a thousand times.” “Don’t thank me. It is purely a matter of accommodation. I shall have a much better time at the Meadowville wedding. They will make much of me, and will invite me to the wedding feast, something I should not expect here.” “What is the date? I forgot to ask.” “A week before Christmas. The bridal couple in each case want to take a wedding trip, and be back in time to celebrate Christmas at home.” Ellen gave a long sigh of satisfaction. “I was born under a lucky star, I do believe,” she said. So after all Ellen paid her own travelling expenses, Miss Rindy had a new hat, and both started off in high feather after locking up the house and leaving Wipers to the tender mercies of the Dove-Hales. CHAPTER IX STUDIO DOINGS “So here we have our little girl back again,” cried Mr. Barstow as he came gaily into the Austins’ studio on the evening of Ellen’s arrival. “Welcome back to the old ‘haunches,’ as old Potter used to say. Let’s look at you. Grown? I should say so. Almost a young lady, but she keeps her lovely coloring, doesn’t she, Mrs. Austin? Now sit down here and tell us all that you have been doing down there in the country. Milking the cows, feeding the pigs, and all that?” “I’ve fed nothing but the cat, and I haven’t learned to milk, but I can do a lot of other things.” She ran over a list of her accomplishments in the domestic line. “Great Cæsar! they certainly have been keeping you at it. Good thing, though. When Kogi gets obstreperous I’ll know where to send for a cook. I tell you what we’ll do; we’ll have a spree at my studio some day. I’ll send Kogi off, and you and Mrs. Austin can come over and cook all over the place. What do you consider your chef-d’œuvre?” “I can make a pretty good omelet, and Cousin Rindy has shown me how to prepare some of the dishes she learned about over in France.” “Fine! We’ll count on the omelet, and you can think up the other things meanwhile. We’re going to celebrate at my studio on Christmas Eve, you know. All the old crowd will be there, and we shall do our prettiest to have some fun. Now I must be off. Don’t forget, Connie, Christmas Eve. Come early.” He put his head over the top of the screen behind which Mrs. Austin was at work, waved his hand to Ellen, and dashed out. “May I come see what you are doing?” asked Ellen as the door closed behind Mr. Barstow.