de of his head
in a conscious arrangement of waviness that was detestable. As she
looked at Mr Rubb in all the brightness of his evening costume, she
began to think that she had better not. At last Miss Baker came, and
they started off together. Miss Mackenzie saw that Miss Baker eyed
the man, and she blushed. When they got down upon the doorstep,
Samuel Rubb, junior, absolutely offered an arm simultaneously to each
lady! At that moment Miss Mackenzie hated him in spite of her special
theory.

"Thank you," said Miss Baker, declining the arm; "it is only a step."

Miss Mackenzie declined it also.

"Oh, of course," said Mr Rubb. "If it's only next door it does not
signify."

Miss Todd welcomed them cordially, gloves and all. "My dear," she
said to Miss Baker, "I haven't seen you for twenty years. Miss
Mackenzie, this is very kind of you. I hope we sha'n't do you any
harm, as we are not going to be wicked to-night."

Miss Mackenzie did not dare to say that she would have preferred to
be wicked, but that is what she would have said if she had dared.

"Mr Rubb, I'm very happy to see you," continued Miss Todd, accepting
her guest's hand, glove and all. "I hope they haven't made you
believe that you are going to have any dancing, for, if so, they
have hoaxed you shamefully." Then she introduced them to Mr and Mrs
Wilkinson.

Mr Wilkinson was a plain-looking clergyman, with a very pretty wife.
"Adela," Miss Todd said to Mrs Wilkinson, "you used to dance, but
that's all done with now, I suppose."

"I never danced much," said the clergyman's wife, "but have certainly
given it up now, partly because I have no one to dance with."

"Here's Mr Rubb quite ready. He'll dance with you, I'll be bound, if
that's all."

Mr Rubb became very red, and Miss Mackenzie, when she next took
courage to look at him, saw that the gloves had disappeared.

There came also a Mr and Mrs Fuzzybell, and immediately afterwards Mr
Maguire, whereupon Miss Todd declared her party to be complete.

"Mrs Fuzzybell, my dear, no cards!" said Miss Todd, quite out loud,
with a tragic-comic expression in her face that was irresistible. "Mr
Fuzzybell, no cards!" Mrs Fuzzybell said that she was delighted to
hear it. Mr Fuzzybell said that it did not signify. Miss Baker stole
a glance at Mr Maguire, and shook in her shoes. Mr Maguire tried to
look as though he had not heard it.

"Do you play cards much here?" asked Mr Rubb.

"A great deal too much, Sir