"You will stay where you are," ordered Mrs. Douglass. 

 Gertie, at Great Titchfield Street, had invented a house, doubled it, and multiplied it by ten; it came as a surprise to her to find that the residence was a solid building of fair extent with a parapet wall of stone in front, broad steps leading to the open doors. On the lawn tea was being set out by a man-servant; he lighted the wick underneath a silver kettle. Lady Douglass, in black, made an effective entrance down the steps in the company of a dog that looked like a rat. 

 "How perfectly charming of you to come and see us," she cried, extending a limp hand.  "We do so want some one to brighten us up. Darling," to old Mrs. Douglass, "why didn't you tell them to send the bath-chair for you?" 

 "Myra," retorted the other, "I walk ten times as much as you do." 

 "Pray take care of yourself, for my sake." 

 "I hope to find some better incentive than that," said the old lady. 

 Lady Douglass approached the task of pouring out tea with the hopeless air of one who scarcely hoped to escape error, and when she had asked for and obtained particulars concerning tastes, Clarence Mills came, and his presence seemed to upset all the table plans; Mrs. Douglass arrested her action as she started to pour tea into the sugar basin. The arrival of Miss Loriner enabled her to resign the position. Going across to sit beside Gertie, she gave a highly interesting account of the way in which she had by sheer force of will conquered the cigarette habit; at present she consumed but twenty a day, unless, of course, special circumstances provided an excuse. 

 "Not for me, thanks," said Gertie, shaking her head.  "I can't smoke; and if I could, I shouldn't." 

 "Tell me!" begged Lady Douglass; "how is that eccentric old gentleman we met at the Zoological Gardens?—Crew, or Brew, or some astonishing name of the kind?" 

 "I don't suppose," answered the girl defensively, "that you really want to know how he is, but Mr. Trew is quite well, and he isn't in the least eccentric, and he doesn't profess to be a gentleman." 

 Henry touched her shoulder with a gesture of appeal; she gave an impatient movement. 

 "But how extremely interesting," cried Lady Douglass, with something like rapture.  "And do most of your 

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