g white, or something black, or something red, but "it
suited her down to the ground." A few misguided individuals have even
been known to take refuge in the remark (made historic now by comic
papers) that "they never look _under_ the table," when asked what
certain ladies had on. But this is trifling, and only applicable to
dinner parties.

Mrs Ray Jefferson's thoughts had not prevented her from taking stock of
the other inmates of the room. One or two were lying on couches, but
most of them seemed to prefer the low comfortable chairs, that were like
rocking-chairs without the rockers.

No one spoke. They looked solemn and suffering, and appeared intent
merely on the symptoms of distilled moisture on the visible portion of
their persons.

"I think," said Mrs Jefferson, "I shall go into the second room. I can
stand some more heat."

She made the remark, abstractedly, in the direction of her neighbour,
who only looked at her in a bored and ill-tempered fashion, as befitted
one who had gout without arched feet to display as compensation.

"You and I are the only hotel people here," went on Mrs Jefferson, as
she took up the glass of water and the head-cloth preparatory to moving
away. Then she laughed again as she looked at her companion's flushed
countenance and generally distressed appearance. "What a comfort," she
said, "that we won't look quite such objects at dinner-time! I always
find a bath improves my complexion, don't you?"

Mrs Markham gave an impatient grunt. "As if it mattered what one looks
like in a bath!" she said. "Do you Americans live in public all your
lives? You seem to be always thinking of your clothes, or your looks!"

Mrs Jefferson opened her lips to reply with suitable indignation, but
the words were cut short by a gasp of astonishment, and lost themselves
in one wondering, long-drawn monosyllable--"My--!"

The gouty sufferer also looked up, and in the direction of the doorway,
and though she said nothing, her eyes expressed as much surprise as was
compatible with a sluggish temperament, and a disposition to cavil at
most things and persons that were presented to her notice.

The object on which the two pairs of feminine eyes rested was only the
figure of a woman standing between the thick oriental curtains that
partitioned off the dressing from the shampooing and douche rooms.

A woman--but a woman so beautiful that she held even her own sex dumb
with admiration. She was tal