Full of these anxious speculations, Le dressed himself and went downstairs to the parlor, where all the family and friends assembled before breakfast. There he found them all, standing around the fire and chatting merrily while waiting for the bell to ring. He gave them all a general good-morning as he entered the room. And then he saw Odalite! She separated herself from the group around the fire, came to meet him, placed both her hands in his, and--smiled! The floors seemed to rock under Le's feet like the deck of a ship on the ocean, so great was his emotion. Why, this was the first time he had seen her smile since he had returned from sea. And now she smiled frankly up in his face just as she used to do before he went away. And, oh! to him that smile seemed the promise of all blessed possibilities in the future. "Good-morning, Le!" she said, in the old, natural tone that he had not heard for three years. "We are just talking about having in the fiddlers to-night for the children to dance, and sending for little Rosemary Hedge and the Grandiere girls and boys, and your particular friend, Roland Bayard. But, Le, we will have to send the break all around to collect them to-day. Will you go, Le?" "Go--go!" said Le, a little confused by his surprise and delight at seeing Odalite so cheerful. "Go--I will go anywhere in this world, or do anything on earth you wish, Odalite!" "That's my Le! I knew you would! So, now, dear father," she said, turning to Mr. Force, "you need not go in person, nor send a servant on such a very delicate errand as an impromptu invitation!" "It is sudden," admitted Le. "Oh, yes! You see, the poor, dear children, always have had their Christmas Eve dance as long back as they can remember, and their friends were always invited several days beforehand; but this year, on account--of the late disturbance, Le--there! I will not allude to it again--nothing was said about the dance until this morning, when I proposed it." "You, Odalite?" "Yes, I! Why should the dear children not have their annual dance? But it is so sudden, Le, and some people--as a mere matter of detail, the Grandieres--are such sticklers for etiquette that they might choose to consider an impromptu invitation an impertinence unless it was given in the most particular manner--as by a member of the family going in person to fetch the invited guests. You understand?" "Yes, I understand," said Le, smiling broadly with delight. The sound of the breakfast bell put an end to the conversation, and the whole party filed away to the breakfast table. Immediately after breakfast Le set out in the "break"--a large, capacious, covered cart, or carriage, capable of holding a dozen people, and drawn by two strong draft horses. Odalite mingled freely with the family that day, taking part in all the preparations for the evening dance, and entering with ready interest into all the children's schemes of enjoyment.