n her hair and tried to look Byzantine.

He returned to the little table. He had it cleared, and ordered fresh
tea and cakes. Then he took out his watch.

In about twenty minutes, during which he grew rather nervous and
impatient, he rose and went to the door again to greet another guest,
who had been invited to tea an hour and a half later than Madeline.

She also was a young girl, good-looking, very dark and rather inclined
to fullness in face and figure. When I say that she had handsome
regular aquiline features, two thick curtains of black hair drawn over
her ears, from which depended long ear-rings of imitation coral, it
seems almost unnecessary to add (for this type of girl always dresses in
the same way) that she wore a flat violet felt hat, the back of which
touched her shoulders, a particularly tight dark blue serge coat and
skirt, a very low collar, and lisle thread stockings which showed above
low shiny shoes with white spats. In her hands she held a pair of new
white gloves, unworn.

She bounced in with a good deal of _aplomb_, and, without apologising
for her lateness, began to chatter a little louder than most of the
people present, and with great confidence.

"No, not China tea, thanks. I prefer Indian. Oh, not cream cakes; I hate
them. Can't I have hot tea-cakes? Thanks. I've no idea what the time is.
I've been to Mimsie's studio. She would insist on doing a drawing of me,
and I'm sitting to her"--she turned her face a little on one side--"like
this, you know."

"Is it like you, Miss Chivvey?"

"Oh, good gracious, I hope not! At least I hope I'm not like _it_! I
don't want to have a pretty picture, I'm sure. But Mimsie's awfully
clever. It's sure to be all right. Do you know her? I must take you to
her studio one day."

"Thanks immensely," said Rupert Denison, a little coolly. "But--it may
seem odd to you, but I haven't the slightest desire to increase my
acquaintance at my age. In fact, do you know, I think I know quite
enough people--in every set," he added.

As he poured out some milk, she jumped and gave a little shriek.

"Oh, _don't_ do that. I never take milk. What a bad memory you've got!
Funny place this, isn't it?" She was looking round. "I don't think I've
ever been here before."

"Don't you like the plan of it?" he said, looking round at the walls and
ceiling. "It may not be perfect, but really, for London, it isn't bad.
It seems to me that anyone can see that it was designed by a