morning, and the children's beds, and she dusted the beautiful
drawing room, and set the upper half of the Dutch door at a dozen
angles, trying to decide which was the prettiest. She and Anne
made a little ceremony of filling the vases with flowers, and the
boys were obliged to keep the brick paths and the lawn clear of
toys.

Nancy made a quiet boast in those days that they let the
neighbours alone, and the neighbours let them alone. But she did
meet one or two of the Marlborough Beach women, and liked them.
And three times during the summer she and Bert asked city friends
to visit them; times of pride and pleasure for the Bradleys. Their
obvious prosperity, their handsome children, and the ideal home
could not but send everyone away admiring. It was after the last
of these visits that Bert told his wife that they ought to join
the club.

"I don't quite understand that--don't we belong?" Nancy asked.

"The Club belongs to all the owners of Marlborough Beach," Bert
explained. "But--but I feel a little awkward about butting in
there. However, now that this fellow Biggerstaff, that I meet so
much in the train, seems to be so well inclined, suppose you and I
dress up and wander over there for tea, on Sunday? We'll leave the
kids here, and just try it."

Nancy somewhat reluctantly consented to the plan, observing that
she didn't want to do the wrong thing. But it proved the right
thing, for not only did the friendly Biggerstaff come over to the
Bradleys tea-table, but he brought pretty Mrs. Biggerstaff, and