he
time in the open fireplace in the salon where we assembled.

We did not know any of their names, and I suppose they did not know
ours. We stared at one another, and they went on talking again, all
about the war. Augustus joined in. He is dreadfully uneasy in case the
rest of the Tilchester Yeomanry may volunteer at last to go out, and
was anxious to hear their views of the possibility. I sat down upon a
fat-pillowed sofa, one of those nice kind that puff out again slowly
when you get up, and make you feel at rest any way you sit.

A short man with a funny face came and sat beside me.

"What a wonderful lady, to be so punctual!" he said. "You evidently
don't know the house. We shall be lucky if we get dinner at nine
o'clock."

"Why did you come down, then," I asked, "since you are acquainted with
the ways?"

"On the off chance, and because a bad habit of youth sticks to me, and
I can't help being on time."

"I am finding it absurd to have acquired habits in youth; they are all
being upset," I said.

He had such a cheery face, in spite of being so ugly, it seemed quite
easy to talk to him. We chatted lightly until some one called out:
"Billy, do ring and ask if we can have a biscuit and a glass of
sherry, to keep us up until we get dinner."

At that moment--it was nearly nine--more people strolled in, two women
with their husbands, and several odd pairs--the last among the single
people quite the loveliest creature I have ever seen. She does not
know how to walk, her lips were almost magenta with some stuff on
them, but her eyes flashed round at every one, and there seemed to be
a flutter among the men by the fireplace.

Augustus dropped his jaw with admiration. She had on a bright purple
dress and numbers of jewels. I feel sure he was saying to himself that
she was a "stunner." She did not look at all vulgar, however, only
wicked and attractive and delightful.

"Darling Letitia," she pleaded, to a stiff-looking old woman sitting
bolt-upright under a lamp, "don't glare at me so. I am not the last
to-night; there are still Babykins and Margaret and several others to
come."

"Oh, Lord, how hungry I am!" announced Mr. Budge, in a loud voice. I
recognized him now from his picture being so often in the papers.

Then, from a door at the other end, in tripped Babykins, and close
behind her Lord Tilchester, and, last of all, when the clock had
struck nine-fifteen, and even the funny-faced man next me had
exhau