ot to mind, the Hat was only an
old crank anyway; old maids always got like that. She would have
continued in the same strain but for a look of deep rebuke from her own
partner. The partner was a stately, middle-aged lady, a president of
the Cheemaun Whist Club, and a second Sarah Battle. She had suffered
much from the silly inattention of the winner of the green stars, she
frowned majestically, not because she objected to the young woman's
condemnation of the Hat, but because she considered it much worse form
to talk during a game of cards than during prayers in church.

Again deep silence fell, and they all went furiously to work once more
in the breathless heat.

Elizabeth was very much interested, but Mrs. John Coulson drew her away
towards the palm and fern-embowered door of the drawing-room. She was
somewhat disappointed at the news of Mrs. Oliver's non-appearance, for
that meant that neither was Mrs. Jarvis present. The fates did seem to
be against Lizzie certainly.

They were once more delayed. A couple of ladies who had just entered
were about to make their way to the drawing-room door, but had been
encountered by Miss Price, and a rather heated argument was in
progress. The ladies belonged to the old school, and were not
acquainted with the intricacies of a fashionable function. The
foremost was a fine, stately matron who had been Sarah Raymond's stanch
friend ever since the days when they had run barefoot to school
together. And while under her sensible black Sabbath bonnet there
still remained much warm affection and sympathy with all Sarah's
doings, at the same time there was developing not a little impatience
with what she termed Sarah's norms. She had just caught sight of the
card-players in the library, too, and was righteously indignant that
she, an elder's wife, should have been bidden to such a questionable
affair. So she had not much patience left to waste on Miss Price when
that haughty young lady insisted upon her going upstairs. "We've
nothing to take off, young woman," she declared at last; "can't you see
that? Do you want us to undress and go to bed?" And with that she
brushed Katie aside and proceeded on her way. A dapper little man in a
dress-suit, the only man anywhere in sight, popped out from behind a
great palm and demanded, "Name, please, madam?" Elizabeth regarded him
with awe. He represented the zenith point of Estella's ambition. They
always had such a functionary