Informality was the watchword of the day, the guests having early been given the freedom of the house, and Miss Mullaly had strayed away from the others into the windowed room.
"My sakes!" exclaimed Miss Crilly. "Isn't that a real Christmas celebration!"
After the first outburst, the little party watched the gorgeous display almost in silence.
"It is too grand for words," breathed Miss Major.
Mrs. Randolph caught sight of Miss Twining's face, and it turned her from the distant glory. She told Mrs. Albright afterwards that she looked as if it were given her to see what was not visible to the others—a glimpse of heaven itself.
Mrs. Bonnyman broke the spell.
"Let's go back before it fades," she suggested. And the majority followed her into the firelit living-room.
"You missed the lovely purple tints," Miss Mullaly told them, as the remaining quartette filed back to join the rest.
"We'd rather have the picture of that magnificent sky of mottled crimson," declared Mrs. Grace.
"Nothing could be finer than that," observed Mrs. Tenney.