Billy and Caroline were the first to arrive,--Caroline in pale floating green tulle, which accentuated the pure olive of her coloring, and transported Billy from his chronic state of adoration to that of an almost agonizing worship. Dick and Betty were next. He had realized the possible awkwardness of the situation for her, and had been thoughtful enough to offer to call for her. She was in defiant scarlet from top to toe, and had never looked more entrancing. Preston Eustace was to come in from Long Island where he was spending the holidays with a married sister. Michael received the guests and did the honors beamingly. "Where's Nancy?" Dick asked, as, divested of his outer garments, he appeared without warning in the presence of the lovers. "Don't bother to drop her hand, Billy. I don't see how you have the heart to, she's so lovely to-night." "We don't know where Nancy is," Caroline answered for him. "It seems to be all right, though. She's expected, Michael says." "Where's Nancy?" Betty asked, in her turn, appearing on the threshold with every hair most amazingly in place. "Coming," Dick reassured her. "Has anybody heard from her?" Betty asked. "Michael has, I think." "You aren't worried about her, are you?" Caroline asked. "Yes, I am," Betty said. "I thought you and Nancy were rather on the outs," Caroline suggested. "It seems odd to have you worrying about her like her maiden aunt." "You wait till you see her, you'll be worried about her, too." "What's wrong?" Dick asked quickly. "She's lost Sheila for one thing. That unspeakable Collier Pratt--I hope he chokes on his dinner to-night, and I hope it's a rotten dinner--has taken the child away." "The devil he has." There was a step on the rickety stair. "Hush! There she is now," Caroline cried. "No," Betty said quietly, listening. "That's not Nancy. That's your brother, Caroline." "I haven't heard his step for such a long time I've forgotten it," Billy said. "I haven't heard it for a long time either," Betty said, her face draining of its last bit of color. "Promises to be one of those merry little meals when everybody present is attended by a tame skeleton," Billy whispered, "except us, Caroline." "I don't feel that we have any right to be so happy with the whole continent of Europe in the state it's in," Caroline whispered in reply. "I feel better about the continent of Europe than I did a while back," Billy said, contentedly. "Hello, everybody," Preston Eustace said as Michael held the door for him. "How's everything, Caroline?" "All right," Caroline said. Then she added unnecessarily, "You--you know Betty, don't you?" "I used to know Betty," he said slowly. The two looked at each other, with that look of incredulity with which lovers sometimes greet each other after absence and estrangement. "This can't be you," their eyes seem to be saying, "I've disposed of you long since, God help me!"