like weakening. As soon as she ceased to seem shocked or surprised at
his disclosures of insipidity or conceit, it became comparatively
easy work to make them. So true is it that it is the fear of the first
shocked surprise of others, rather than of their deliberate reprobation,
which often deters us from exhibitions of unworthiness.

In connection with this mental and moral masquerade, he adopted several
changes in his dress, buying some clothes of very glaring patterns, and
blossoming out in particularly gaudy neckties and flashy jewelry.
Lest Annie should be puzzled to account for such a sudden access
of depravity, he explained that his mother had been in the habit of
selecting some of his lighter toilet articles for him, but this term
he was trying for himself. Didn't she think his taste was good? He also
slightly changed the cut of his hair and whiskers, to affect a foppish
air, his theory being that all these external alterations would help out
the effect of being a quite different person from the George Hunt with
whom she had fallen in love.

Lou Roberts was Annie's confidante, older than she, much more dignified,
and of the reticent sort to which the mercurial and loquacious naturally
tend to reveal their secrets. She knew all that Annie knew, dreamed,
or hoped about Hunt; but had never happened to meet him, much to the
annoyance of Annie, who had longed inexpressibly for the time when Lou
should have seen him, and she herself be able to enjoy the luxury of
hearing his praises from her lips. One evening it chanced that Lou
called with a gentleman while Hunt had gone out to rest himself, after
some pretty arduous masquerading, by a little unconstrained intercourse
with the fellows up at college. As he returned home, at about half-past
nine, he heard voices through the open windows, and guessed who the
callers were.

As he entered the room, despite the disenchanting experiences of the
past week, it was with a certain pretty agitation that Annie rose to
introduce him, and she looked blank enough when, without waiting for her
offices, he bowed with a foppish air to Lou and murmured a salutation.

"What, are you acquainted already?" exclaimed Annie.

"I certainly did not know that we were," said Lou coldly, not thinking
it possible that this flashily dressed youth, with such an enormous
watch-chain and insufferable manners, could be Annie's hero.

"Ah, very likely not," he replied carelessly, adding with an expl