are you sure it's not your own fault?"

"I'm not at all sure, Mrs. Wiggins," said I. "But don't be distressed
about it. It's of no consequence. I don't let it make me unhappy.
Goodbye; so many thanks. Charming girls you have here--especially that
one in the fifth--I mean, charming, all of them. Goodbye."

I hastened to the carriage. Mrs. Wiggins stood and watched. I got in and
sat down by Dolly.

"Oh, Mrs. Wiggins," said Dolly, dimpling, "don't tell Mrs. Hilary that
Archie wasn't with us, or we shall get into trouble." And she added to
me, "Are you all right?"

"Rather!" said I appreciatively; and we drove off, leaving Mrs. Wiggins
on her doorstep.

A fortnight later I went to call on Mrs. Hilary. After some conversation
she remarked:

"I'm going to the school again tomorrow."

"Really!" said I.

"And I'm so delighted--I've persuaded Hilary to come."

She paused, and then added:

"You really seemed interested last time."

"Oh, I was."

"Would you like to come again tomorrow?"

"No, I think not, thanks," said I carelessly.

"That's just like you!" she said severely. "You never do any real good
because you never stick to anything."

"There are some things one can't stick to," said I.

"Oh, nonsense!" said Mrs. Hilary.

But there are--and I didn't go.

THE OTHER LADY

"By the merest chance," I observed meditatively, "I attended a reception
last night."

"I went to three," said Lady Mickleham, selecting a sardine sandwich
with care.

"I might not have gone," I mused, "I might easily not have gone."

"I can't see what difference it would have made if you hadn't," said
she.

"I thought three times about going. It's a curious world."

"What happened? You may smoke, you know."

"I fell in love," said I, lighting a cigarette.

Lady Mickleham placed her feet on the fender--it was a chilly
afternoon--and turned her face to me, shielding it from the fire with
her handkerchief.

"Men of your age," she remarked, "have no business to be thinking of
such things."

"I was not thinking of it," said I. "I was thinking of going home. Then
I was introduced to her."

"And you stayed a little, I suppose?"

"I stayed two hours--or two minutes,--I forget which--"; and, I added,
nodding my head at Lady Mickleham, "There was something irresistible
about me last night."

Lady Mickleham laughed.

"You seem very pleased with yourself," she said, reaching for a fan to
replace the handkerchief.

"Y