“The boys have always talked to me, you know,” she said, “and Arnold in particular. He is the clergyman, you know. That made one think. It would be nicer to believe in everybody; but perhaps it’s better sometimes to see below the surface. Sometimes I wish almost that something would happen just to try the metal we and our friends are made of. In olden times, when there were wars and dangers, it must have been so much easier to know what they were like; but nothing ever does happen in the nineteenth century—not in that sort of way.” Nevertheless, a good deal was happening in other ways, and the excitement increased as the time for the bazaar arrived. The town hall was a spacious building, and it was decorated in an effective fashion with festoons of greenery and paper and tinsel flowers. Some people called it trumpery stuff; but it looked well, and was cheap, and to keep down expenses was one of the chief aims of the assistants. The bazaar was held in the great hall; but there were two smaller rooms, off-shoots from this, reached by short wide flights of steps, and in these rooms the supplementary entertainments were to be held. One was a museum of curiosities and beautiful things lent, for which extra admission was charged; the other was given over to entertainments. On the first day there was to be a phonograph and some experiments with electrical apparatus, in which Oscar was to assist. On the second the concert, and on the third some tableaux. The whole town was in excitement over the affair, and upon the first day the thoroughfares were quite crowded with carriages and foot passengers. Everything went off beautifully. A great deal was sold; the refreshments were excellent, the band good; and the people went away declaring they should come again upon the morrow, which accordingly they did. The concert was almost the most exciting experience for Sheila—she had so much accompanying to do; but she soon lost her first feeling of nervousness, and forgot everything in the effort to help everything to go well. It was all a great success. Effie sang her song very creditably, and got an encore; though some people did say it was her father who so stubbornly led the rounds of applause. May’s singing delighted everybody, and the glees went beautifully; Miss Adene was there, kindly and encouraging, giving steadiness to any wavering part by her clear rounded tones, and taking the greatest interest in everything. Indeed, all the Monckton Manor party had come in force; and they were to appear also upon the next day, for May had a part in several of the tableaux, and two of the brothers also, and they were both very clever and helpful as scene shifters. For everything was done as far as possible by volunteers, and there was no professional aid which could possibly be dispensed with.