--Lily was quite as distressed.

"My dear, why didn't you let me know last night? Trixy Brent has given
Lula Chandos his box at the Horse Show, and Lula would never, never
forgive me if I backed out."

Although she lived in an apartment--in a most attractive one, to be
sure--there could be no doubt about it that Lily Dallam was fashionable.
She had a way with her, and her costumes were marvellous. She could have
made her fortune either as a dressmaker or a house decorator, and
she bought everything from "little" men and women whom she discovered
herself. It was a curious fact that all of these small tradespeople
eventually became fashionable, too. Lily was kind to Honora, and gave
her their addresses before they grew to be great and insolent and
careless whether one patronized them or not.

While we are confessing the trials and weaknesses of our heroine, we
shall have to admit that she read, occasionally, the society columns
of the newspapers. And in this manner she grew to have a certain
familiarity with the doings of those favourites of fortune who had more
delightful engagements than hours in which to fulfil them. So intimate
was Lily Dallam with many of these Olympians that she spoke of them by
their first names, or generally by their nicknames. Some two years after
Honora's marriage the Dallams had taken a house in that much discussed
colony of Quicksands, where sport and pleasure reigned supreme: and more
than once the gown which Mrs. Sidney Dallam had worn to a polo match had
been faithfully described in the public prints, or the dinners which she
had given at the Quicksands Club. One of these dinners, Honora learned,
had been given in honour of Mr. Trixton Brent.

"You ought to know Trixy, Honora," Mrs. Dallam declared; "he'd be crazy
about you."

Time passed, however, and Mrs. Dallam made no attempt to bring about
this most desirable meeting. When Honora and Howard went to town to dine
with the Dallams, it was always at a restaurant, a 'partie carree'. Lily
Dallam thought it dull to dine at home, and they went to the theatre
afterwards--invariably a musical comedy. Although Honora did not care
particularly for musical comedies, she always experienced a certain
feverish stimulation which kept her wide awake on the midnight train to
Rivington. Howard had a most exasperating habit of dozing in the corner
of the seat.

"You are always sleepy when I have anything interesting to talk to you
about," said Honor