"Your husband approves, I suppose?" remarked Lucilla inquiringly.
"Oh, yes!" laughed Rosie; "he sees no harm in it, and approves of his wife having all the pleasure she can. I wish we could have had Grace stay and share the fun, but her father vetoed that almost before I had fairly given the invitation."
"Yes," said Lucilla, "poor Gracie is so feeble that father has to be very careful of her."
"Yes; I know," said Rosie, "but I thought he might have left her for once, considering that my two doctor brothers are here for the night—unless called out by some inconveniently sick person."
"Which we will hope they won't be, for even doctors should have a little amusement once in a while," said Evelyn.
"Yes," said Rosie, "and they enjoyed the golf this afternoon, and appear to be having a pleasant time with Max, Chester, and the others out on the river bank there now."
The girls were on the veranda overlooking the river, and just at that moment were joined by Rosie's mother-in-law, the older Mrs. Croly. She sat down and chatted with them for a few moments, then bade them good-night, and went to her own apartments. It was growing dusk then, the young men came in, and presently they all repaired to the drawing-room, where for the next hour or two they entertained each other with music and conversation. Max had some interesting adventures to narrate, to which both young men and maidens were eager listeners.
In the pause that followed the conclusion of the second tale the clock in the hall was heard to strike.
"Eleven!" exclaimed Lucilla, in a tone of surprise and dismay. "Father would say I ought to have gone to my room and my bed more than an hour ago."