d Smith knew something of the story of what had
occurred between Crosbie and Lily. Siph Dunn had learned it all since
the meeting in the park, having nearly learned it all from what he
had seen with there with his eyes. But Mrs. Thorne, who knew Lily's
story, did not know Crosbie's appearance. But there was his friend
Fowler Pratt, who, as will be remembered, had dined with her but the
other day; and she, with that outspoken and somewhat loud impulse
which was natural to her, addressed him at once across the room,
calling him by name. Had she not done so, the two men might probably
have escaped through the room, in which case they would have met
Bernard Dale and Emily Dunstable in the doorway. Fowler Pratt would
have endeavoured so to escape, and to carry Crosbie with him, as he
was quite alive to the expedience of saving Lily from such a meeting.
But, as things turned out, escape from Mrs. Thorne was impossible.

"There's Fowler Pratt," she had said when they first entered, quite
loud enough for Fowler Pratt to hear her. "Mr. Pratt, come here. How
d'ye do? You dined with me last Tuesday, and you've never been to
call."

"I never recognise that obligation till after the middle of May,"
said Mr. Pratt, shaking hands with Mrs. Thorne and Mrs. Smith, and
bowing to Miss Dale.

"I don't see the justice of that at all," said Mrs. Thorne. "It
seems to me that a good dinner is as much entitled to a morsel of
pasteboard in April as at any other time. You won't have another till
you have called,--unless you're specially wanted."

Crosbie would have gone on, but that in his attempt to do so he
passed close by the chair on which Mrs. Harold Smith was sitting, and
that he was accosted by her. "Mr. Crosbie," she said, "I haven't seen
you for an age. Has it come to pass that you have buried yourself
entirely?" He did not know how to extricate himself so as to move
on at once. He paused, and hesitated, and then stopped, and made
an attempt to talk to Mrs. Smith as though he were at his ease. The
attempt was anything but successful; but having once stopped, he did
not know how to put himself in motion again, so that he might escape.
At this moment Bernard Dale and Emily Dunstable came up and joined
the group; but neither of them had discovered who Crosbie was till
they were close upon him.

Lily was seated between Mrs. Thorne and Mrs. Smith, and Siph Dunn had
been standing immediately opposite to them. Fowler Pratt, who had
been