that it was the only proper
thing to do; and when Dawson had cleared the table and ushered in the
other visitors, we ladies took our coffee and the men their cigarettes
to the three front windows, which were open as usual to our balcony.

We seated ourselves there quite casually, as is our custom, somewhat
hidden by the lace draperies and potted hydrangeas, and whatever we saw
was to be seen by any passer-by, save that we held the key to the whole
story, and had made it our own by right of conquest.

Just at this moment--it was quarter-past nine, although it was still
bright daylight--came a little procession of servants who disappeared
within the doors, and, as they donned caps and aprons, would now and
then reappear at the windows. Presently the supper arrived. We did
not know the number of invited guests (there are some things not even
revealed to the Wise Woman), but although we were a trifle nervous about
the amount of eatables, we were quite certain that there would be no
dearth of liquid refreshment.

Contemporaneously with the supper came a four-wheeler with a man and a
woman in it.

Sal. "I wonder if that is Lord and Lady Brighthelmston?"

Mrs. B. "Nonsense, my dear; look at the woman's dress."

W.B. "It is probably the butler, and I have a premonition that that is
good old Nurse with him. She has been with family ever since the birth
of the first daughter twenty-four years ago. Look at her cap ribbons;
note the fit of the stiff black silk over her comfortable shoulders; you
can almost hear her creak in it!"

B.G. "My eye! but she's one to keep the goody-pot open for the
youngsters! She'll be the belle of the ball so far as I'm concerned."

Fran. "It's impossible to tell whether it's the butler or paterfamilias.
Yes, it's the butler, for he has taken off his coat and is looking at
the flowers with the florist's assistant."

B.G. "And the florist's assistant is getting slated like one o'clock!
The butler doesn't like the rum design over the piano; no more do I.
Whatever is the matter with them now?"

They were standing with their faces towards us, gesticulating wildly
about something on the front wall of the drawing-room; a place quite
hidden from our view. They could not decide the matter, although the
butler intimated that it would quite ruin the ball, while the assistant
mopped his brow and threw all the blame on somebody else. Nurse came in,
and hated whatever it was the moment her eye fell on it