“It’s a variation of the Japanese wind-bell motif,” said Mrs. Osgood. “But I shall wish I were not a trustee, if I must act on such problems as that.”
Algernon took the hoop and put it back into its wrappings.
“I’ll write and thank him,” he said, “and I don’t see any objection to it. The children will love it. I know Elsmere would.”
“We can keep it up for a while and not hurt his feelings,” said Bertha, and as Polly at the piano began to play a waltz, the boys chose partners and the porch filled with dancing couples.
It proved, however, rather warm for dancing. Polly and Winifred took turns at the piano, but before long every one was willing to sit and rest.
“Play that pretty last one again, Polly, and let us listen,” begged Bess. “It’s too warm to stir, but you play that so beautifully.”
Polly obligingly seated herself at the piano once more in the broad open window. The light tripping music, unmarred by the sound of sliding feet, floated over the lawn and across the street and up into the Swinburne balcony. Suddenly the lazy group on the Osgood veranda caught sight of a flickering flame high in the neighboring house. Algernon started up, but Bertha restrained him.
95“Watch!” she said. “It’s Elsmere. I saw him.”
The candle was stuck upon the railing of the balcony. Then capering about, in little white night-drawers, to the sound of the music, Elsmere danced, bare-toed, upon his well-waxed floor, the unconscious observed of all observers. Applause long and hearty rewarded his efforts, and also brought Maggie to the rescue. As she pounced upon him and knocked the sputtering candle to the ground, Peter and Perdita, splendid in starched white linen, appeared in the doorway behind “the party” and invited every one to come and draw bows and arrows.
Peter held a quiver of arrows, tied with bright ribbons “for the ladies.” His sister at his side offered “the gentlemen” a fine assortment of bows, with varicolored bow-strings. Bows and arrows mated, the hunters marched in pairs to the screened-in breakfast room, looking out over the river.