Palma and Judy began to think of making preparations for the family dinner party at Mrs. Walling’s.
Palma took out her crimson cashmere dress and gave it to Mrs. Pole to be brushed and shaken, sponged and pressed, and looked over her small stock of lace and gloves.
Judy looked down on her own brown traveling dress and said ruefully:
“This will never do to wear this evening. I have got a pretty dark blue French merino; but it is in my trunk at the hotel, and sure it might as well be in Aigypt—Egypt, that is.”
“Col. Moseley will be sure to send the trunk to you,” suggested Palma. And even while she spoke a noise was heard outside and a knock came to the door, and the janitor entered the parlor, followed by a porter with the girl’s trunk on his shoulders. When he put it down on the floor Stuart paid and discharged him, and shortly after left the house on his daily hopeless search for employment.
That evening Stuart, Palma, Hay, Judith, Col. and Mrs. Moseley, Mr. James and Miss Betty Moseley met at dinner at Mr. Samuel Walling’s. A happier party never gathered around a table.
After dinner the ladies withdrew to the drawing-room, leaving the gentlemen to their wine.
In the drawing-room Mrs. Moseley introduced the subject of Ran and Judy’s proposed marriage. She said to Judy:
“My dear, we are all friends here—intimate friends, indeed—so it is quite proper that I should speak plainly. My young favorite, Mr. Hay, has taken counsel with me concerning his wish to marry you and take you to Europe with him. Am I right in supposing that this is your wish also?”
“Yis—yes, madam,” replied Judy, modestly lowering her eyes.