temporarily rented power boats. Many of them had supplemented the soft drinks sold by Miss Constance Peabody and the Misses Hurd with contributions from their own hip pockets.
Perhaps in the whole assemblage the element that was most thoroughly enjoying itself were the plain native Hedgewoodians from the village and the neighboring farms—calloused-handed laborers, clerks from the stores, commuting sons of merchants. This occasion seemed planned to order for them and they were as naïve and happy as children. To Carmelita, in whom there was still an element of child-likeness that responds to color and lights and din, and hence a sympathy with them, they had been a constant delight all during the week and she had done her best to see that they had a good time.
It had been a week of unceasing work and worry for Carmelita. Rain during the first three evenings of the Fête had cut the attendance down to a mere dribble and the receipts to barely anything. To-night it seemed that the affair was to be carried to success, but she was not happy. And the reasons were Dudley and her own guilty conscience.
He had arrived late that afternoon from the city laden down with last-minute bundles for the Fair which she had telephoned him to bring and she had snatched the time from her duties
