The Spences had not let it
go. It wasn't their way. And in time it had assumed the importance
of a survival. It stood for some-thing. Other Bainbridgers had
"Teas." The Spences had "tea."
Desire had been in her new home a month and had just made a remark
which showed her astonished Aunt Caroline that tea was no more of a
surprise to her than fireplaces had been.
"Do you mean to tell me you have always had tea?" Miss Campion
ceased from pouring in pure surprise.
"Why, yes." Desire's surprise was even greater than Aunt Caroline's.
"Li Ho never dreamed of forgetting tea. He served it much more
regularly than dinner because sometimes there wasn't any dinner to
serve. It was a great comfort--the tea, I mean."
"But how extraordinary! And a Chinaman, too."
"I suppose my mother trained him."
"And Vancouver isn't Bainbridge," put in Benis lazily. "A great many
people there are more English than they are in England. All the old-
time Chinese 'boys' served tea as a matter of course."
"Even when no one was calling?"
"Absolutely sans callers of any kind."
"Well, I am sure that is very nice." But it was plain from Aunt
Caroline's tone that she thought it a highly impertinent
infringement upon the privileges of a Spence. She poured her
nephew's cup in aloof silence and refreshed herself with a second
before re-entering the conversation. When she did, it was with
something of a bounce.
"Benis," she said abruptly, "can you tell me just exactly what is a
Primitive?"
"Eh?" The professor had been trying to read the afternoon News-
Telegram and sip tea at the same time.
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