semicircle has to break up, and the three of us are towed to the bay window by Vivacious Vivian.

"Princess," says she, makin' a low duck, "three other Knights who would do homage.  Allow me first to present Mr. Reginald St. Claire Smith. Here Reggy.  Also Mr. Theodore Braden.  And next Mr.--Mr--er--"

She's got to me.  I expect her first guess was that I'd been dragged in by one of the other two; but as neither of 'em makes any sign she turns them black, dark-ringed lamps inquiring on me and asks, "Oh, I'm sure I beg pardon, but--but you are--"

Now who the blazes was I, anyway?  It all depended on how well posted she was, whether I should admit I was Torchy the Banished, or invent an alias on the spot.

"Why," says I, draggin' it out to gain time, "you see I'm a--that is, I'm a--a--"

"Oh, hello!" breaks in Vee, jumpin' up and holdin' out both hands just in the nick of time.  "Why, of course, Cousin Eulalia!  This is a friend of mine, an old friend."

"Really!" says Cousin Eulalia.  "And I may call him--"

"Claude," I puts in, winking at Vee.  "Call me just Claude."

"Perfectly lovely!" gushes Eulalia.  "An unknown knight.  'Deed and you shall be called Claude--Sir Claude of the Golden Crest.  Gentlemen, I present him to you."

We look at each other sort of sheepish, and most of us grins.  All but one, in fact.  The blond string bean over in the corner, with the buttermilk blue eyes and the white eyebrows, he don't seem amused.  For it's Sappy Westlake, the one I run on a siding once at a dance.  Think of keepin' a peeve on ice all that time! It's quite a likely lookin' assortment on the whole, though, all costumed elegant and showin' signs of bein' fairly well parlor broke.

"What's the occasion?" says I on the side to Miss Vee.  "Reunion of somebody's Sunday school class?"

She gives me a punch and smothers a snicker, "Don't let Cousin Eulalia hear you say such a thing," says she.

We only had a minute; but from what she manages to whisper durin' the general chatter I makes out that this is a little scheme Eulalia'd planned to sort of launch Vee into the younger set.  She's from Atlanta, Cousin Eulalia is, one of the best families, and kind of a perennial society belle that's tinkled through 

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