e."

"I will--Maud."

"That's right, and I will call you--let me see, Cousin Mark. I don't
want my friends to think I had to send for an escort to a telegraph
office."

When they entered Daly's Miss Gilbert met an old school friend--Louisa
Morton.

"Why, Maud, are you here?" said her friend. "How delightful! And who is
this young gentleman?"

"My cousin, Mark Mason."

"Indeed! Well, I congratulate you on having such a nice escort. If he
were a few years older I might try to make you jealous."

Maud laughed gaily.

"Oh, you can't get him away. He is devoted to me. Aren't you, Cousin
Mark?"

Mark was about to say "You bet," but it occurred to him that this would
not be _comme il faut_, so he only said, "You are right, Maud."

"Where are your seats? I hope they are near ours."

They proved to be in the same row, but on the other side of the center
aisle.

As Mark and the young lady took seats two pairs of astonished eyes noted
their entrance. These belonged to Edgar and his father, who sat two rows
behind. Edgar was the first to catch sight of them.

"Look, father!" he said, clutching his father's arm. "There is Mark
Mason and a beautiful girl just taking their seats. What does it mean?"

"I don't know," returned Mr. Talbot. "She seems to be a fashionable
young lady."

"How in the world did he get acquainted with such people? She treats him
as familiarly as if he were a brother or cousin."

"It is very strange."

"Please take the opera-glass, Mark," Edgar heard Miss Gilbert say. "You
know I must make you useful."

For the rest of the evening the attention of Edgar and his father was
divided between the play and Miss Gilbert and Mark. For the benefit
chiefly of her friend, Maud treated her young escort with the utmost
familiarity, and quite misled Solon Talbot and Edgar.

When the play was over Mark carefully adjusted Miss Gilbert's wraps. As
he passed through the aisle he saw for the first time Edgar and his
father looking at him with astonished eyes.

"Good evening," he said with a smile. "I hope you enjoyed the play."

"Come, Mark, it is growing late," said Maud.

Mark bowed and passed on.

"Well, if that doesn't beat all!" ejaculated Edgar. "They seemed very
intimate."

When Mark bade Miss Gilbert good night after ringing the bell at her
home, she pressed a bank note into his hand.

"Thank you so much," she said. "Keep the change, and when I want another
escort I will send for you."