ess that he had escaped drowning and was safe and sound, his
parents had completely forgotten their solicitude for him.

Miss Burns took a friendly interest in the pictures and found a word
of praise for each child. There was some discussion, pedagogic and
non-pedagogic, of the characteristics of the little people. Frederick
again spoke of his wife, this time without any critical reflections,
dwelling only on her good and lovely and excellent qualities, really
native to her.

The meal was over. Frederick had eaten heartily of the vegetarian dishes.
He rose, shook hands warmly with Miss Burns, and thanked her for having
listened so patiently. He left hastily, and jumped into a cab in order to
keep his promise to Ingigerd Hahlstroem to come before luncheon was over
at Lilienfeld's house.

XXI

The Lilienfelds lived in a one-family house, an exact replica of the
other houses on the same block on 124th Street. Frederick found the
company drinking coffee in a reception-room on the first floor, richly
furnished with oriental rugs, expensive lamps, Japanese vases, and fine,
dark, highly polished walnut furniture. The shades were drawn, and the
electric bulbs of a gorgeous chandelier imparted a certain splendour to
the room. The air was heavy with the smoke of Lilienfeld's strong
imported cigars, at which the reporters were puffing away comfortably.

Ingigerd, smoking a cigarette, was reclining in an easy-chair surrounded
by the reporters. Her hair was hanging loose about her shoulders and
down her back. Altogether her appearance was not prepossessing. Since
she looked impossible dressed as a grown lady in long skirts, she
wore schoolgirl clothes and was tempted to furbish herself up like a
tight-rope dancer with ribbons, openwork stockings, and white shoes.

When Frederick von Kammacher entered the room, she blushed slightly, and
held her hand out to him indolently. Unfortunately, this hand had short,
ordinary fingers, probably the plebeian heritage from her mother, her
father having had long, beautiful hands. Frederick was at least a head
taller than anybody in the room and was distinguished from the other
gentlemen by his air of good breeding. He kissed Mrs. Lilienfeld's hand,
German fashion, and begged her pardon for having come so late.

The subject of discussion, of course, was the hearing in the City Hall.
Lilienfeld ran about, offering the reporters cigars and cordials, so
importunate in his hospitality a