the
fish-exporting firm of Broby & Larsen, received a card, although, to be
sure, there had been a long debate in the committee as to where the line
should be drawn.

Paul Jespersen was uncommonly elated when he read the invitation,
which was written on a gilt-edged card, requesting the pleasure of
Mr. Jespersen's company at a bal masque Tuesday, January 3d, in the
Association Hall.

"The pleasure of his company!"

Think of it! He felt so flattered that he blushed to the tips of his
ears. It must have been Miss Clara Broby who had induced them to be so
polite to him, for those insolent cadets, who only nodded patronizingly
to him in response to his deferential greeting, would never have asked
for "the pleasure of his company."

Having satisfied himself on this point, Paul went to call upon Miss
Clara in the evening, in order to pay her some compliment and consult
her in regard to his costume; but Miss Clara, as it happened, was much
more interested in her own costume than in that of Mr. Jespersen, and
offered no useful suggestions.

"What character would you advise me to select, Mr. Jespersen?" she
inquired, sweetly. "My sister Hanna, you know, is going to be Morning,
so I can't be that, and it seems to me Morning would have suited me just
lovely."

"Go as Beauty," suggested Mr. Jespersen, blushing at the thought of his
audacity.

"So I will, Mr. Jespersen," she answered, laughing, "if you will go as
the Beast."

Paul, being a simple-hearted fellow, failed to see any sarcasm in this,
but interpreted it rather as a hint that Miss Clara desired his escort,
as Beauty, of course, only would be recognizable in her proper character
by the presence of the Beast.

"I shall be delighted, Miss Clara," he said, beaming with pleasure. "If
you will be my Beauty, I'll be your Beast."

Miss Clara did not know exactly how to take this, and was rather
absent-minded during the rest of the interview. She had been chaffing
Mr. Jespersen, of course, but she did not wish to be absolutely rude to
him, because he was her father's employee, and, as she often heard her
father say, a very valuable and trustworthy young man.

When Paul got home he began at once to ponder upon his character as
Beast, and particularly as Miss Clara's Beast. It occurred to him that
his uncle, the furrier, had an enormous bear-skin, with head, eyes,
claws, and all that was necessary, and without delay he went to try it
on.

His uncle, feeling that th