Max, his cousins and young Hutchinson gave three cheers, in the midst of
which demonstration the Rev. Lisle Lindsay endeavored to make his escape
by the front door.

Unhappily, Mr. Wedmore, elated by his victory over the cook, espied him,
and straightway forbade him to leave the house until after "Sir Roger."
In vain the curate protested; pleaded the privileges and exemptions of
his sacred calling.

Mr. Wedmore was obdurate; and, to the disgust of everybody, including
himself, the Rev. Lisle Lindsay found himself told off to dance with the
pretty housemaid, being the only man in the room who was not anxious for
the honor.

This mishap cast a gloom over the proceedings. The rest of the gentlemen
found it hard to extract a word from the other maids, who all considered
themselves slighted. And Mr. Wedmore had great difficulty in persuading
the men-servants to come forward and take their places by the partners
he chose for them. To get them to choose for themselves was out of the
question, after one young gardener had availed himself of the invitation
by darting across the floor and asking Miss Queenie, in a hoarse voice
and with many blushes, if she would dance with him.

Of course, this piece of daring made a sensation so great that to get
another man follow the bold example was impossible.

In the end, Mrs. Wedmore found a partner in the coachman, who was a
portly and solemn person, with no talents in the way of dancing or of
conversation. Doreen danced with the butler, who, between nervousness