She had snatched a hurried meal in the pantry, and, feeling rather lost and bewildered amongst the crowd of strangers, had retired to rest under the elder bushes, until called upon by Marged Hughes to help at the table, which she did at once, overcoming her shyness, and keeping as much as possible in the background.
The guests had been at first too intent upon their dinners after their morning's exertions to notice the slim white figure which slipped backwards and forwards behind them, supplying every want with quick and delicate intuition, aiding Marged Hughes' clumsy attempts at waiting, so deftly, that Essec Powell's dinner was a complete success.
Towards the end of the meal a young and susceptible preacher caught sight of the girl, and without ceremony opened a conversation with her.
Turning to his host he asked: "And who is this fair damsel ?" "Who?
where ?" said Essec Powell, looking surprised.

"Oh! that's my niece Valmai; she is living with me since Robert my brother is dead." "Well, indeed! You will be coming to the meetings, I suppose ?" "Yes," said Valmai, "I have been there all day; the singing was lovely!" "And what did you think of the preaching ?" said a very fat man, in a startlingly bass voice.

He was carving a fowl.

"That is the important point," he said, and the wing came off unexpectedly.

"Young people are apt to think most of the singing," here he re-captured the wing and landed it safely on his own plate.