"In my dressing-case," said Mrs. Gano, nodding to Val.
As the girl came back into the parlor with the key, she caught sight of the expression of demure coquetry with which Julia, seated on the piano-stool, was looking up into Ethan's face. He was leaning against the piano, talking and laughing. Why, he hadn't looked as amused as that since he came! What could Julia have said? With a sudden chill upon her spirit Val came forward and handed Ethan the key.
"Ah, here we are!"
He opened the piano, and Julia began to play. Ethan went over to the window and watched her.
Val sat by her father. Julia was distressingly pretty; there was no disguising the fact. Evidently cousin Ethan thought so. How absorbed he was! He was quite angry at the clatter some one was making at the front door. He knitted his dark brows impatiently. The interrupter must be Harry Wilbur; nobody else approached door-knockers in so athletic a spirit. Yes, it was Harry.
"How do you do? I'm so glad to see you," said Val, with an overflowing cordiality that surprised her visitor quite as much as it gratified him.
He went and spoke in an undertone to Mrs. Gano, and then came back and sat on the other side of Val.
"You haven't told me yet why you were so late at the Hornseys to-day," he whispered.
"It just happened; everybody's late sometimes."
"Why didn't you come to the archery party yesterday?"