ry came to my relief.

"'Oh, it is a kind of musical instrument,' she said. 'But don't let us
talk any more about it. This is the second time I have seen you, but we
have not really had a good chance to say anything to each other.'

"I took advantage of this very strong hint, and rose.

"'Musical!' exclaimed the irrepressible Sarah. 'Oh, Mr. Howard, please
play on it just the least little bit!'

"Mary allowed herself an expression of extreme disgust. 'Please not
while I am present,' she said; 'I could not abide it.'

"I now advanced to take my leave.

"'Do not go just now,' said Sarah; 'I merely ran over for a minute to
ask Mary about the Wilmer reception; but as you are going, Mr. Howard,
you might as well see me home. It is later now.'

"I retired to a book-table at the other end of the parlor, and it was a
good deal later when the two young ladies had finished talking about
the Wilmer reception.

"'I do not understand it at all,' said Miss Castle, when we were on the
sidewalk. 'You are not deaf, Mr. Howard, and yet you use an ear-trumpet.
What does it mean?'

"Of course I did not know what to say, but I had to say something, and,
moreover, that something must not be wholly inconsistent with my
explanation to Mary.

"'Oh, it is a thing,' I answered, 'that is intended to be used in
connection with foreign languages.' Then I made a bold stroke: 'It shows
the difference in their resonant rhythms.'

"'Well, I am sure I do not understand that,' said Miss Castle. 'But what
is the good of it? Does it make them any pleasanter to listen to?'

"I admitted that it did.

"'Whether you understand them or not?' she asked.

"If this young woman had at this moment fallen down a coal-hole I cannot
truthfully say that I should have regretted it.

"'I cannot explain that, Miss Castle,' I said, 'for it would take a long
time, and here we are at your door.'

"'Come in and let me try it,' said Sarah.

"'Thank you very much,' I replied, 'but I really cannot. I have an
engagement at my club. In fact, I was just going to take leave of Miss
Armat when you came in.'

"She looked at me scrutinizingly. 'You used to call her Mary Armat
when you spoke of her,' said she, 'but I suppose her having been a
missionary makes a difference in that way. I do not believe much in club
engagements, but of course we have to recognize them. And if you cannot
come in now I wish you would call on me soon. If your invention has
anything to do