“No, ma’am. But we’re not expectin’ it, ma’am,” said Tim. Beth saw that Tim was ready to worship this lovely young Aunt Alida, whose girlish happiness was not feigned; it bubbled up and overflowed out of a heart that wealth, the world and its pleasures, flattery and the power wealth gives had not tainted. Aunt Alida was, before all the things that she had to be to the outside world, a loving, home-loving woman; her merry way of enjoying little things, as well as big ones, sprang from simple goodness. “Well, perhaps you aren’t expecting to be bidden to our tree, but we certainly expect and intend you to come, Tim, with Mrs. Tim and all the Tiny Tims!” Mrs. Cortlandt laughed at her own application of Tiny Tim’s name. “I don’t know in the least why you weren’t asked, except that we decided on Miss Beth’s party so late and have been in a mad rush ever since! Be off, Tim, and collect your family and come here with them at five. Hurry; there’s not a moment to lose! I’m so sorry no one told you you were coming! Wait! Call up your wife and tell her to begin to dress the children; it will save time. Mr. Cortlandt put a telephone into your house, didn’t he? So I thought. Call up your wife, then, and tell her I truly beg her pardon, but to forgive me and hurry the children here. Wait a moment! Léon is coming; I heard our horn and our engine. Tell Mr. Cortlandt I asked him to let Léon take you home and bring you all back in the car. Dirk, go with Tim and explain to your father how Tim’s invitation was forgotten and ask him if Léon can’t help us out. Be off, Tim; run, Dirk!” Thus issuing her orders like a sort of breezy May morning, with the cherry blossoms of her rose-colored gown’s embroidery wrapped around her, Mrs. Cortlandt sent Tim and Dirk on their errand, and turned to her three girls. “Scatter, lassies!” she cried. “You’ve lots to do to get ready, and lots to be ready to do!” Natalie snatched Alys’s and Beth’s hand and rushed them out of the room. Mrs. Cortlandt lingered long enough to give directions to the maids for setting the room in order and making certain changes in its arrangement, then she, too, hurried after the girls, and called to them as they went to their rooms: “I’ve selected your toilets, chickens. Please put them on as fast and as well as you can and be down-stairs promptly at five.” Beth opened her door with confident expectation of finding some new delight awaiting her. Was there really no limit to Aunt Alida’s cleverness, prompted by her loving heart? “I hope I’ll be able some day to do something for her!” she said aloud. Frieda looked up. “I’ve just had word from home, Miss Beth,” she said, her cheeks crimson, her eyes shining. “Liebchen is coming here to-night! She has walked without crutches. She is cured! Oh, Miss Beth, Miss Beth!”