have been invited to the dance in question, but that was a matter which
she did not think it worth while to mention.

"My dear Mary!" she said, "what an idea. I am quite sure that when you
go out with us you need never have any difficulty about partners."

"Our programmes for the Liberal Club Dance and the County Cricket Ball
were full before we had been in the room five minutes," Louise
interposed.

Mary smiled inwardly, but said nothing, and Brooks was quite sure then
that she was different. He realized too that her teeth were perfect,
and her complexion, notwithstanding its pallor, was faultless. She
would have been strikingly good-looking but for her mouth, and that--was
it a discontented or a supercilious curl? At any rate it disappeared
when she smiled.

"May I ask whether you have been attending a political meeting this
evening, Miss Scott?" he asked. "You came in after us, I think."

She shook her head.

"No, I have a class on Wednesday evening."

"A class!" he repeated, doubtfully.

Mr. Bullsom, who thought he had been out of the conversation long
enough, interposed.

"Mary calls herself a bit of a philanthropist, you see, Mr. Brooks," he