ss Worthington, that I
would ask some one else first, because," very kindly, "Gridley Bennet
is a perfect old maid about his game. It bores him almost to tears to
play with a poor player or a beginner. I've heard him say so more than
once. And men just simply hate that sort of thing when they do hate it,
you know."

The air with which Miss Warren called the Wonderful Mr. Bennet by his
Christian name was galling. It bespoke a degree of intimacy with his
charming self from which Arethusa felt herself far removed. And her
manner of stating his likes and dislikes was that of one who knew.
Arethusa boiled over.

"I didn't ask your advice!" she exploded. "And when I want any of it,
I'll let you know!"

Miss Warren looked surprised.

"Why, I...." she began, and then she decided that it was time to leave.
She could not quarrel with Arethusa, and Arethusa looked very ready to
quarrel.

As Miss Warren made her way gracefully homeward along the avenue, she
decided that she really had nothing to fear from Mr. Bennet's casual
attentions to the visiting lady at parties. She was countrified and
queer, and her clothes were awful. Miss Warren knew Mr. Bennet to be a
gentleman of taste. Yet she was glad she had made the call, for she had
rather enjoyed it. It would be fun to tell Gladys, friend nearest her
heart, all about it.

Arethusa went up the stairs about three at a time, and burst into
Ross's room like a small whirlwind, cheeks glowing and hands still
clenched in righteous anger at Miss Warren.

"Well, well," exclaimed Ross, "what has happened? Did not the fair
Candace come up to expectations?"

"I thought you said she was a dear girl!" Arethusa looked accusingly at
Elinor.

"And isn't she?" asked Ross mischievously.

"She's ... she's a cat!" said Arethusa with emphasis. "She said
perfectly awful things to me, and she was as nasty as could be to me
about Mr. Bennet!"

"So that is where the shoe pinches! Elinor, dearest, methinks there is
one of your friends' daughters who has no sort of attraction for our
daughter. But Arethusa, my child, I told you, when you first mentioned
his name, that he was in a class apart. I told you that he was no
lonely floweret wasting his sweetness on the desert air, and that the
competition where you would compete was keen. I told you...."

"Ross, for heaven's sake!" laughed Elinor.

"Arethusa is only finding out the truth of my words," replied Ross
seriously. "She will learn to dep