wearing, besides her usual shawl, a coquettish cap and apron.

"Have you come to the dance?" asked Mavis.

"I'm 'ladies cloak-room' to-night? What do you think of Baffy?"

"I don't know what to think."

"No class, is 'e?"

"Do you know anything about him?"

"I don't 'old with the feller. 'Is presence is a disgrace to the
academy," replied the "ladies' cloak-room."

A few minutes later, the first of Mr Poulter's patrons self-
consciously entered the room; soon after, dancing commenced.

As if to give Mavis heart for her unaccustomed task, Mr Poulter kept
an eye upon her; he encouraged her with smiles whenever she looked
in his direction. Mavis's playing was much jeopardised by the
conduct of the other musicians; they did not give the least
attention to what they were at, but performed as if their efforts
were second nature. Soon after the dancing started, Mr Cheadle
brought from a pocket a greasy pack of cards, at which he and the
two musicians who had arrived with him began to play at farthing
"Nap," a game which the most difficult passages of their performance
did not interrupt, each card-player somehow contriving to play
almost directly it came to his turn. Mr Cheadle, playing the cornet,
had one hand always free; he shuffled the cards, dealt them, and put