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 *minds me. We're going out to the Green to-morrow to stay over Christmas? Do you mind?"

"No, I think not. But what's the idea?"

"Oh, just a notion. I thought it would be rather jolly to spend the day out of town; New York's so sickeningly ugly and dull on Christmas. I went out there to-day and got things ready. And I've persuaded the Ruggleses and Horace Taft and his wife to go out, too. So we'll have quite a cosey party at dinner." He turned to the mantel and began to fill his pipe from the old earthen jar. "The Ruggleses are going to bring a friend along, too."

"All right," said Miles, absently, his eyes on the picture. "More the merrier, I suppose."

"Well, that's what I thought," an