Mrs. Blaine sighed wearily.

"Yes--it's taking me longer than I bargained for. Sometimes I feel
very tired. I wish Virginia was here to try it on."

Fanny glanced at the clock. With a quick, significant look at Mr.
Gillie, she said quickly:

"She'll be here any moment now. The concert is usually out by this
time." There was an awkward pause and then she stammered: "Mr. Gillie
has something to say to you, mother."

Mrs. Blaine laid down her work and looked up in surprise.

"Something to say to me?" she echoed in amazement, looking inquiringly
from her daughter to the visitor.

But Fanny, her face crimson, had already bolted into the kitchen,
while Mr. Gillie, his chair tilted backward, a picture of magnificent
unconcern, coolly blew smoke rings into the air.

"Something to say to me?" repeated Mrs. Blaine.

"Asch--ooah!"

His chair suddenly returning to the floor level with a thud that shook
the house, Mr. Gillie sneezed violently, a physiological phenomenon
which curiously enough never failed to present itself when any
extraordinary pressure was put upon his brain cells. Wiping his watery