Mr. Barnes rose to his feet with alacrity. "For a woman with sound
ideas," he declared, "commend me to your mother!"

Maud, having finished her duties, resumed her place by the side of
the guest of the evening. Their hands met under the tablecloth for
a moment. To the girl, the pleasure of such a proceeding was natural
enough, but Fitzgerald asked himself for the fiftieth time why on
earth he, who, notwithstanding his present modest exterior, was a
young man of some experience, should from such primitive love-making
derive a rapture which nothing else in life afforded him. He was,
at that moment, content with his future, - a future which he had
absolutely and finally decided upon. He was content with his
father-in-law and his mother-in-law, with Daisy Villa, and the
prospect of a Daisy Villa for himself, - content, even, with Adolphus!
But for Mr. Spencer Fitzgerald, these things were not to be! The
awakening was even then at hand.

The dining room of Daisy Villa fronted the street, and was removed
from it only a few feet. Consequently, the footsteps of passers-by
upon the flagged pavement were clearly distinguishable. It was just
at the moment when Mrs. Barnes was inserting a few fresh almonds
into a somewhat precarious tipsy cake, and Mr. Barnes was engaged
with the decanting of the port, that two pairs of footsteps,
considerably heavier than those of the ordinary promenader, paused
outside and finally stopped. The gate creaked. Mr. Barnes looked up.

"Hullo!" he exclaimed. "What's that? Visitors?"

They all listened. The front-door bell rang. Adolphus, in response