me's already on the black list. I don't know what Mrs.
Hawley-Crowles was thinking of to invite her to-night! Her estate is
being handled by Ames and Company, and J. Wilton says there won't be
much left when it's settled--

"My goodness!" she exclaimed, abruptly flitting to another topic.
"There goes Miss Tottle. Look at her skirt--flounced at the knees, and
full in the back so's to give a bustle effect. My! I wish I could wear
togs cut that way--

"They say, my dear," the garrulous old worldling prattled on, "that
next season's styles will be very ultra. Butterfly idea, I hear. Hats
small and round, like the heads of butterflies. Waists and jackets
very full and quite loose in the back and shoulders, so's to give the
appearance of wings. Belts, but no drawing in at the waist. Skirts
plaited, plaits opening wide at the knees and coming close together
again at the ankle, so's to look like the body of a butterfly. Then
butterfly bows sprinkled all over."

She paused for breath. Then she drew a long sigh. "Oh dear," she
lamented, "I'd give anything if I had a decent shape! I'd like to wear
those shimmering, flowing, transparent summer things over silk tights.
But, mercy me! I'd look like a potato busted wide open. Now you can
wear those X-ray dresses all right--

"Say, Kathleen Ames has a new French gown to wear to the Dog Show.
Skirt slit clear to the knee, with diamond garter around the leg just
below. How I'd look! I have a leg like a ham!"

Carmen heard little of this vapid talk, as she sat studying the pale
woman across the hall. She had resolved to meet her just as soon as
the loquacious Mrs. Gannette should seek another victim. But that
genial old gossip gave no present evidence of a desire to change.

"I'm _so_ glad you're going to marry young Altern," she said, again
swerving the course of her conversation. "He's got a fine old ruined
castle somewhere in England, and seems to have wads of money, though I
hear that everything is mortgaged to Ames. I wouldn't be surprised.
Still, his bare title is worth something to an American girl. Besides,
you've got money. And you'll do a lot for his family. You know--but
don't breathe a word of this!--his mother never was recognized
socially in England, and she finally had to give up the fight. For a
while Ames backed her, but it wouldn't do. His millions couldn't buy
her the court entree, and she just had to quit. That's why she's over
here now. The old Duke--he was lot