a truly magnanimous soul, and it seemed that he
would.

So an atmosphere of enjoyment once more restored, Arethusa turned her
attention back to the chorus ladies, who had in the meantime clothed
themselves in garments belonging less to the hours of rest and more to
those of activity, and responded to their antics to amuse as she had
before that most unfortunate episode.

She sighed a gusty sigh of real forlornness when the curtain had
descended in such a way that it could not possibly be construed by even
inexperienced theatergoers to mean anything but that it was all over.

"It doesn't last near long enough, not near!" she said, regretfully, as
she was being helped into the Green Cloak.

Mr. Bennet produced his watch. "I don't know just how long you expected
it to last," he replied, "but right this moment it happens to be ten
minutes past eleven; which means that we have been here almost three
hours!"

Arethusa regarded him open-eyed and open-mouthed.

"_Honest!_"

"Honest."

"Why, it hasn't seemed like any time at all!"

"Well, it seems to me that if you enjoyed it so much, we'll have to
come again some time very soon. Shall we?"

Arethusa accepted this invitation with undoubted pleasure.

"I'll be a little more careful, though, in my selection of our next
play, so there will be nothing in it you could misunderstand that might
possibly spoil a few moments for us. I don't want any spoiled moments
with you," tenderly.

Arethusa blushed deeply and her head drooped.

_She_ had spoiled it, all by herself; those moments of unhappiness
had been all her own fault, because she was such a goose. This play had
been as near perfection as a play could be, thought she, who knew so
little of plays. At the next one, she herself would see that nothing of
the kind occurred. She had learned her lesson, and there would be no
more misinterpretation of Mr. Bennet's charming little ways.

Mr. Bennet was just a bit conscience-stricken in the morning by the way
he had turned that episode, when reviewing it at his office. She was a
dear child. The Worthington interest was a solid one. There were
dollars galore that stood to that name in various financial
institutions, and when one is a dealer in the commodities known as
stocks and bonds, one must not let the smallest chance slip by to
cement a friendship outside which might prove to extend itself into the
business world. There was no telling how quickly bread cast upon the