permit. Which current swept Mr. Amidon onward as he was in the act of
assuring his hostess of his sense of loss in her sister's
absence--until an eddy left him in a quiet corner, where he found
absorbing occupation in trying to imagine again as vividly as possible
that pressure of the hand. Was it meant as an evidence of
affection?--or did her foot slip, so that she clung to his hand to
prevent a fall? This question seemed of the most transcendent
importance to him, and he debated it mentally all the evening, as he
talked the set conversation of such an occasion. He knew no one; but
every one knew him; yet he had no difficulty in getting on, because
there was no sense in any of the conversation. He could answer all the
remarks regarding his new role of political leader without committing
himself to anything serious. Bright eyes flashed meaning and soulful
glances into his, as sweet lips said things which he could answer quite
as well as if the context of the conversation had been as familiar to
him as it was supposed to be. Platitudes, generalities, inanities; and
inanities, platitudes and generalities in reply. Amidon looked the
part of Brassfield perfectly, and on occasions of this sort, to look
the part is quite enough.

He found Elizabeth again, surrounded by a circle of admirers--men and
women--an oasis of intelligence, it seemed to him as he listened, in a
desert of twaddle. She smiled at him with her eyes, as he looked at
her through the press, and just as he had won to a place by her side,
the tide was sent flooding into a large room where, it was announced,
Professor Blatherwick and Madame le Claire were doing feats of
occultism.

"Laties ant shentlemen,"--it was the professor who spoke, "you are at
liperty, of gourse, to adopt any t'eory vich seems to you goot to
eggsblain dese phenomena. Madame le Claire offers none. Ven she hass
broduced te phenomena, she iss--she iss all in! If dey seem to you to
be de vork of tisempodied spirits, fery well--goot! Somedimes it seems
so to her. If you rekard letchertemain as a sufficient vorking
hypot'esis, vy, letchertemain goes, and upon dat hypot'esis ve vill
gontinue to vork de miracles ant de public. Id iss kvite de same to
Madame le Claire. It iss only fair to say, howefer, dat she hass nefer
yet detected herself in any fraut. Bud she offers no eggsblanation;
she chust gifes dese tests for your gonsiteration."

A ripple of laughter and a buzz of in