XXVI Over the Telephone

CHAPTER XXXV

A PIECE OF NEWS

AS Bettina was putting the finishing touches on her porch table, set for dinner, and humming a little song as she tried the effect of some ragged robins in a mist of candy-tuft, all in a brass bowl, she heard a murmur of voices at her front door. "I'll tell just Betty; no one else must know—yet. But what if I haven't the courage to tell even her?" "Perhaps she'll suspect anyhow!" "Goodness, Harry! You make me afraid to go in! Is my expression different?"

The answer was not audible to Bettina, though she was sure that she heard whispers and a little suppressed laughter. Certainly it had sounded like Alice's voice! What? Could Mr. Harrison be with her? For a moment Bettina stood stock still, feeling like an eavesdropper. Then she let out a gasp of amazement. "Well!" was all she said, and sat down to think. When the door-bell rang, she could not at first gain the composure necessary to answer it. "Why, how are you, Alice? I haven't seen you for ages! And Mr. Harrison! Do come in; you must stay to dinner, for you're just in time. Bob will be home any minute." "Oh, we couldn't stay!" answered Alice. "Har—Mr. Harrison and I were walking home from town, and when we came to this house, we couldn't help stopping to say 'hello.'"

Bettina was conscious of a strained feeling in the air, which made her want to giggle—or shake Alice. After all, she couldn't help overhearing! And yet she might be mistaken! She found herself saying—she scarcely knew what—to keep up the conversation. "Do stay! We have a funny little dinner tonight, but I believe you'll like it. Bob had been rather over-worked at the office lately—and I tried today to think of some of his favorite dishes for dinner. I wanted to have a jolly little meal to take his mind off his worries. And it would help a lot if he could see you two people. Do stay! Do you care for blueberry tarts, Mr. Harrison? Well, that's to be our dessert!" "My, that sounds fine!" said Mr. Harrison. "Couldn't we stay, after all?" he asked, turning to Alice. "Well, if you really, truly want us," said Alice to Bettina. "Why, of course I do! I'm delighted to see you! I think we're fortunate. Mr. Harrison, you are usually so busy that we scarcely dare invite you!" "I suppose I ought to be at work today, but I'm taking a little holiday. I couldn't put my mind on business."

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He was actually blushing, Bettina thought. Suddenly she found Alice's arms around her and Alice's laughing face hidden on her shoulder. "Don't, Harry! Let me be the one to tell her!"

And so Bob found them, all laughing and talking at once. "Hurrah!" said he when he heard the news. "The best possible idea! Is dinner ready, Bettina? Get out some grape juice and we'll drink to the health and future happiness of Alice and Harry! I'm the man that made this match!"

Dinner that night consisted of: Fish a la Bettina Rice Cakes Stuffed Tomato Salad Rolls Butter Iced Grape Juice Blueberry Tarts

BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level) Fish a la Bettina (Four portions) 1 C-medium white sauce 11/3 C-cooked fish 2 T-chopped pimento 2 T-chopped sweet pickle ½ t-paprika

Mix ingredients in order given, heat and serve on wafers. Rice Cakes (Four portions) 1½ C-boiled rice ½ t-salt 1 egg yolk 6 T-crumbs 4 T-fat (lard and butter mixed)

Mix the rice and salt with the egg. Shape into flat cakes, two and a half inches in diameter and one-half an inch thick. Roll in bread crumbs and sauté in hot fat until brown on both sides. (About eight minutes.) If the egg does not sufficiently moisten the rice, add one tablespoon of milk. Stuffed Tomato Salad (Four portions) 4 tomatoes 1 C-chopped cabbage ½ t-salt ¼ t-paprika 4 T-salad dressing

Stuff fresh tomatoes with cabbage, seasoned, and mixed with salad dressing. Arrange the tomatoes on lettuce leaves and place one tablespoon salad dressing on

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the top. Add a small piece of green pepper or a sprig of parsley to the salad dressing.

Blueberry Tarts (Four portions)

Fill muffin pans with plain pastry. Place two tablespoons of mixture on each crust. Cover with pastry strips and bake twenty minutes.

Blueberry Mixture

½ C-blueberries ¼ C-sugar 1 T-butter 1 T-vinegar 1 t-cinnamon

Mix the berries, sugar, butter cut in small pieces, vinegar and cinnamon. Cook, stirring constantly, over a moderate fire for three minutes.

CHAPTER XXXVI

BETTINA ENTERTAINS HER FATHER AND MOTHER

"W

E had no such steak as this in California!" declared Bettina's father with satisfaction, as Bob served him a second helping. "But then," said Bettina's mother, "did you find anything in California that you thought equalled anything in your own state? Father never does," said she, laughing. "He seems to enjoy traveling because it makes him feel that his own home is superior to every other place on earth. And it is," she agreed, looking about her happily. "I can say that after a summer spent in California, I'm more than thankful to be back again." "I was afraid that you and father would be so anxious to open up the house that you wouldn't agree to come here for your first meal." "Of course we're anxious to get home," said Mother, "but after you wrote Father that if he would come here to dinner tonight you would have a steak cooked just to suit him, he was as eager as a boy to get here." "Well, who wouldn't look forward to it, after a summer spent in hotels?" said Father. "And I must say that Bettina's dinner justifies my eagerness. It's exactly right—steak and all." "Now for dessert!" said Bob. "This coffee that I've been making in the percolator is all ready, Bettina!"

For dinner that night they had:

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