“Thanks,” he said, laughing; “it’s just what I’ve tried to avoid.  I’ve got things where I want them now—­but I knew it was too comfortable to last.  Boots said that some woman would be sure to be good to me with an art-nouveau rocking-chair.”

“A perfect sample of man’s gratitude,” said Nina, exasperated; “for I’ve ordered two beautiful art-nouveau rocking-chairs, one for you and one for Mr. Lansing.  Now you can go and humiliate poor little Eileen, who took so much pleasure in planning with me for your comfort.  As for your friend Boots, he’s unspeakable—­with my compliments.”

Selwyn stayed until he made peace with his sister, then he mounted to the nursery to “lean over” the younger children and preside at prayers.  This being accomplished, he descended to the library, where Eileen Erroll in a filmy, lace-clouded gown, full of turquoise tints, reclined with her arm around Drina amid heaps of cushions, watching the waitress prepare a table for two.

He took the fresh, cool hand she extended and sat down on the edge of her couch.

“All O.K. again?” he inquired, retaining Eileen’s hand in his.

“Thank you—­quite.  Are you really going to dine with us?  Are you sure you want to?  Oh, I know you’ve given up some very gay dinner somewhere—­”

“I was going to dine with Boots when Nina rescued me.  Poor Boots!—­I think I’ll telephone—­”

“Telephone him to come here!” begged Drina.  “Would he come?  Oh, please—­I’d love to have him.”

“I wish you would ask him,” said Eileen; “it’s been so lonely and stupid to lie in bed with a red nose and fishy eyes and pains in one’s back and limbs.  Please do let us have a party.”

[Illustration:  “‘Two pillows,’ said Drina sweetly.”]

So Selwyn went to the telephone, and presently returned, saying that Boots was overwhelmed and would be present at the festivities; and Drina, enraptured, ordered flowers to be brought from the dining-room and a large table set for four, with particular pomp and circumstance.

Mr. Archibald Lansing arrived very promptly—­a short, stocky young man of clean and powerful build, with dark, keen eyes always alert, and humorous lips ever on the edge of laughter under his dark moustache.

His manner with Drina was always delightful—­a mixture of self-repressed idolatry and busily naive belief in a thorough understanding between them to exclude Selwyn from their company.

“This Selwyn fellow here!” he exclaimed.  “I warned him over the ’phone we’d not tolerate him, Drina.  I explained to him very carefully that you and I were dining together in strictest privacy—­”

“He begged so hard,” said Eileen.  “Will somebody place an extra pillow for Drina?”

They seized the same pillow fiercely, confronting each other; massacre appeared imminent.

“Two pillows,” said Drina sweetly; and extermination was averted.  The child laughed happily, covering one of Boots’s hands with both of hers.