The fairies--in reality they were professional dancers hired by Lady Harrowdene--began a dance that seemed to call upon nature to awaken; it was a Dance of Spring. With exquisite threadings of wind-blown mazes they flitted, calling, hand to lips. Then they poised, listening, one hand on hip, one at the ear, as the dancers leaned forward to hear if their summons were heeded. Then they bent their graceful bodies low to earth, lightly touching the ground. Then they sprang up with fawn-like leaps, triumphing, the flowers which they had wakened and culled waving in their hands above their heads. And finally they came to the front of the stage, lips parted as if calling, waving their arms, extending their hands, fluttering, waiting expectant, never still, yet waiting. Natalie had been coached by Lady Harrowdene what to do. She stood at the head of a long double row of chrysalides. At a signal from her each chrysalis fell off and the boys and girls appeared in gorgeous colors. At last Beth understood her gown of blues with the yellow velvet stripes! She was a butterfly, they were each a butterfly, broken out of a chrysalis, Natalie in gold, Alys in green, Dirk in browns and golds, all the young guests in color combinations incredibly beautiful. Natalie began to swing in time with the slow dancing on the stage; the entire line of newly-emerged butterflies swung with her and followed her as she broke into a dance. She led them around the room, dancing as only Natalie could dance, improvising her steps and motions. The professional dancers came down and danced with the children till, finally, the line broke up into pairs and, all over the room, the butterflies were waltzing, a sight so beautiful that, as Mrs. Cortlandt said, it was the greatest pity that all the world could not be there to see. Then, as if Lady Harrowdene were in command of genii, the servants of the hotel slipped into the room and began to serve refreshments. Aunt Alida had attended to the selection of these, as more versed in what these American birthday guests would prefer than Lady Harrowdene was. All the edibles were valentines! Heart-shaped sandwiches, as well as cakes; salads served in lacy paper, like old-fashioned valentines; pâtés also lace-trimmed and heart-decorated; fancy ices in valentine forms; sweets in pairs of love birds; chocolate in heart cups, its whipped cream carrying out the old-fashioned valentine effect of lace paper.