The supper was a very merry one in spite of the depression that had seized poor Douglas. She tried not to let her gloom permeate those around her. Helen was in a perfect gale and the Tucker Twins took their cue from her and the ball of good-humored repartee was tossed back and forth. Tillie Wingo was resplendent in a perfectly new dancing frock. The beaux buzzed around her like bees around a honey pot. The silent Bill Tinsley kept on saying nothing but his calf eyes were more eloquent than any words. He had fallen head over heels in love with the frivolous Tillie from the moment she offered to tip him on the memorable occasion of her first visit to the camp. Lewis Somerville, usually with plenty to say for himself, was almost as silent as his chum, Bill. It seemed as though Douglas' low spirits had affected her cousin. "What is it, Douglas?" he whispered, as he took the last plate of salad from her weary hand. "You look all done up. Are you sick?" "No, indeed! Nothing!" "When the animals have finished feeding, I want to talk to you. Can you give me a few minutes?" "Why, of course, Lewis, as many as you want." Douglas and Lewis had been friends from the moment they had met. That had been some eighteen years before when Douglas had been crawling on the floor, not yet trusting to her untried legs, and Lewis, just promoted from skirts to breeches, had proudly paraded up and down in front of his baby cousin. There never had been a problem in Douglas' life that she had not discussed with her friend, but she felt a delicacy in talking about this trouble that had arisen on her horizon because it would mean a certain criticism of both her mother and sister. "Walk after supper?" Bill whispered to Tillie. "Something to say." Tillie nodded an assent. Supper over, the tables and chairs were piled up in a twinkling and the latest dance record put on the Victrola. "Why, this is delightful!" exclaimed Mrs. Carter, looking around for Mr. Tucker to come claim her for the first dance, but she saw that gentleman disappearing over the mountainside with Nan. "Nan is entirely too young for such nonsense!" she exclaimed with some asperity, but partners were forthcoming a-plenty so she was soon dancing like any girl of eighteen, while her indulgent husband smoked his pipe and looked contentedly on. Susan and Oscar washed the dishes with more rattling than usual as Oscar had much grumbling in store for the delinquent Susan. "Wherefo' you done lef' yo' wuck to Miss Helen?" "I's a-helpin' Mis' Carter. She kep' me a-openin' boxes an' hangin' up things. I knowed Miss Helen wouldn't min'. She thinks her maw oughter have what she wants. I done heard her tell Miss Douglas that she means to see her maw has her desires fulfilled. Sounded mos' lak qua'llin' the way the young missises was a-talkin'."