ld out his hand, and when she took it grasped hers firmly.

"Who is here with you to-night?" he asked.

"No one. Mr. Lancaster does not care for balls."

"Won't you give me the pleasure of seeing you home?" She hesitated for a
moment, and then said:

"I will drop you at your hotel. It is right on my way home."

Just then some one came up and joined the group.

"Ah, my dear Mrs. Lancaster! How well you are looking this evening!"

The full voice, no less than the words, sounded familiar to Keith, and
turning, he recognized the young clergyman whom he had met at Mrs.
Wentworth's when he passed through New York some years before. The years
had plainly used Mr. Rimmon well. He was dressed in an evening suit with
a clerical waistcoat which showed that his plump frame had taken on an
extra layer, and a double chin was beginning to rest on his collar.

Mrs. Lancaster smiled as she returned his greeting.

"You are my stand-by, Mr. Rimmon. I always know that, no matter what
others may say of me, I shall be sure of at least one compliment before
the evening is over if you are present."

"That is because you always deserve it." He put his head on one side
like an aldermanic robin. "Ah, if you knew how many compliments I do pay
you which you never hear! My entire life is a compliment to you,"
declared Mr. Rimmon.

"Not your entire life, Mr. Rimmon. You are like some other men. You
confound me with some one else; for I am sure I heard you saying the
same thing five minutes ago to Louise Wentworth."

"Impossible. Then I must have confounded her with you," sighed Mr.
Rimmon, with such a look at Mrs. Lancaster out of his languishing eyes
that she gave him a laughing tap with her fan.

"Go and practise that on a debutante. I am an old married woman,
remember."

"Ah, me!" sighed the gentleman. "'Marriage and Death and Division make
barren our lives.'"

"Where does that come from?" asked Mrs. Lancaster.

"Ah! from--ah--" began Mr. Rimmon, then catching Keith's eyes resting on
him with an amused look in them, he turned red.

She addressed Keith. "Mr. Keith, you quoted that to me once; where does
it come from? From the Bible?"

"No."

"I read it in the newspaper and was so struck by it that I remembered
it," said Mr. Rimmon.

"I read it in 'Laus Veneris,'" said Keith, dryly, with his eyes on the
other's face. It pleased him to see it redden.

Keith, as he passed through the rooms, caught sight of an old lady over
i