"What is all that for?" said Nora.
"Oh, that is to show the pictures nicely. They will look a great deal better than if all the room and the books could be seen behind them."
"Why?"
"I suppose they will look more like pictures. By and by all those lights on the stand will be lighted. And we shall dress in the library, you know, nobody will be in it, and in the room on the other side of the hall. All the things are brought down there."
"Daisy," said Nora? looking at the imposing green baize screen, "aren't you afraid?"
"Are you?" said Daisy.
"Yes I am afraid I shall not do something right, or laugh, or something."
"Oh, but you must not laugh. That would spoil the picture. And
Mrs. Sandford and Preston will make everything else right.
Come and see the crown for Ahasuerus!"
So they ran across the hall to the room of fancy dresses. Here Ella presently joined them with her sister, and indeed so many others of the performers that Preston ordered them all out. He was afraid of mischief, he said. They trooped back to the library.
"When are they going to begin?" said Nora.