ression, or, as Bindle afterwards expressed
it, "Like a calf wot's lost 'is mother and found a nanny-goat, an'
wonders wot 'e'll do at tea-time."

After a whispered conversation between Millie and Mr. Hearty, they both
bore down upon Mr. Flinders, a small man seated next to a very large
wife, and began an animated conversation with him in undertones. Mr.
Hearty was genial, Millie pleading, and Mr. Flinders protesting and
shrinking. Mrs. Flinders eventually terminated the discussion by
giving his arm an upward push, accompanied by a whispered, "Yes,
George, do," whereat George did. He walked towards the piano, looking
back at his wife and protesting all the while.

Bindle started clapping loudly, which still further embarrassed the
victim. After much preparation and searching for music, Millie played
the opening chords of "Queen of the Earth," peering anxiously forward
at the music, praying that she should make no mistake. Mr. Flinders
was an excellent grocer, but a bad singer. His voice was weak and
erratic. Each time he reached the chorus, in which everybody joined in
various keys, Bindle in no key at all, it was as if a drowning man were
making a last despairing effort to reach the shore.

At the conclusion of the song things seemed to sink back again into the
slough from which Mr. Flinders had valiantly rescued them.

Unconsciously Mr. Hearty was defeating his object and infecting his
guests with his own nervousness. Every time he moved across the room
he was followed by the eyes of the whole assembly. It seemed that only
one thing was capable of happening at a time. When Millie brought in
her Persian kitten, "Tibbins," everyone became absorbed in it. Those
who were not near enough to stroke and caress it turned to each other
almost eagerly and said how pretty it was, and what a beautiful tail it
had.

When Tibbins showed with voice and claw that it had exhausted any
capacity for interest that the company may have possessed for it, and
had been let out, another terrible silence fell upon the room. In
desperation Mr. Hearty seized a plate of figs and another of
half-oranges and handed them round to everyone in turn. Again interest
centred in him. Those who had refused watched with the keenest
interest those who were about to refuse, and Mr. Hearty returned the
plates to the sideboard without having disembarrassed them of a single
fig or half-orange.

In desperation he took a fig himself and began