of all kinds, fashionable women with a
passion for the bizarre and unconventional, women of gentle breeding and
no social pretence, who worked to support themselves; idle women,
ambitious women, restless women; but the majority formed part of the
floating circles domiciled in apartments and at the great hotels--people
who wintered in New York and were a part of its social and civic life to
that extent, but whose duties and responsibilities for the metropolitan
welfare were self-imposed, and neither hereditary nor constant.

As all circles in New York have, at certain irregular periods,
accidental points of temporary contact, Valerie now and then met people
whom she was scarcely ever likely to see again. And it was at a New Idea
Home conference, scheduled for five o'clock in the red parlour of the
ladies' waiting room in the great Hotel Imperator, that Valerie,
arriving early as delegated substitute for Mrs. Hind-Willet, found
herself among a small group of beautifully gowned strangers--the sort of
women whom she had never before met in this way.

They all knew each other; others who arrived seemed to recognise with
more or less intimacy everybody in the room excepting herself.

She was sitting apart by the crimson-curtained windows, perfectly
self-possessed and rather interested in watching the arrivals of women
whose names, as she caught them, suggested social positions which were
vaguely familiar to her, when an exceedingly pretty girl detached
herself from the increasing group and came across to where Valerie was
sitting alone.

[Illustration: "'May I sit here with you until she arrives? I am
Stephanie Swift.'"]

"I was wondering whether you had met any of the new committee," she said
pleasantly.

"I _had_ expected to meet the Countess d'Enver here," said Valerie,
smiling.

The girl's expression altered slightly, but she nodded amiably; "May I
sit here with you until she arrives? I am Stephanie Swift."

Valerie said: "It is very amiable of you. I am Valerie West."

Stephanie remained perfectly still for a moment; then, conscious that
she was staring, calmly averted her gaze while the slow fire died out in
her cheeks. And in a moment she had decided:

"I have heard so pleasantly about you through Mrs. Collis," she said
with perfect composure. "You remember her, I think."

Valerie, startled, lifted her brown eyes. Then very quietly:

"Mrs. Collis is very kind. I remember her distinctly."

"Mrs. Collis r