had been made before the party went into the
dining-room. Believed from much necessity of
talking to any one, Betty had plenty of
opportunity to study the people about the table, from
whose voices and conversation she could gather
not a little about their personalities. She could
also thoroughly enjoy the excellent dinner,
served in attractive courses.

The countess sat at the proper hostess end
of the table and at her right was a gentleman
who could not, or possibly did not try to
conceal his rather sentimental interest in the
countess. Of him Lucia, naturally, had not
spoken, but Betty wondered. She knew what
her father would do if anybody would say such
silly things to her mother! Did the countess
like it? Nobody appeared to pay the least bit
of attention to it. So Betty decided that she
would not be shocked. Probably that was the
silly way of some people.

She wished she had the recipe of a wonderful
pudding that melted in your mouth and
preceded an ice-cream confection. A smile of
amusement curled around her mouth at the idea
of asking for a recipe at this distinguished
place; but just then one of the ladies said
something really funny, a clever reply to the

[[88]]

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