with her fan. 'Then, of course, I was furiously angry, and told him
that he was no gentleman, and I was sorry I'd ever met him, and so
on. He was crushed so easily then I couldn't be very angry. Then I
came away straight to you.'

'Was this before or after supper?'

'Oh! before oceans before. Isn't it perfectly disgusting?'

'Let me think. I withhold judgment till tomorrow. Morning brings
counsel.'

But morning brought only a servant with a dainty bouquet of
Annandale roses for Mrs. Hauksbee to wear at the dance at
Viceregal Lodge that night.

'He doesn't seem to be very penitent,' said Mrs. Mallowe. 'What's
the billet-doux in the centre?'

Mrs. Hauksbee opened the neatly-folded note, another
accomplishment that she had taught Otis, read it, and groaned
tragically.

'Last wreck of a feeble intellect! Poetry! Is it his own, do you
think? Oh, that I ever built my hopes on such a maudlin idiot!'

'No. It's a quotation from Mrs. Browning, and in view of the facts
of the case, as Jack says, uncommonly well chosen. Listen

Sweet, thou hast trod on a heart,