* * * * *

Among the first arrivals were Lady and Miss Whigham, attended by Jack
Leclerc.

Mrs. Dobson, wreathed in smiles, with Maud at her right hand, received
the guests. Effie gave them tea and Joan showed them to their places.

There were five "artists." Three young men opened the performance with a
trio for piano, violin, and 'cello. The ladies who had had tea knitted
and conversed. When the performance was over they went into raptures
about it. A middle-aged and melancholy-looking man with a beard followed.
He was the feature of the occasion, having been strongly recommended by
Lady Whigham as a "finished and accomplished vocalist." He sang a series
of very modern French songs.

"It sounds to me as if something was wrong," commented Mrs. Dobson to
Maud, who replied--

"Sh! mamma, they're not supposed to have any tune."

Lady Whigham in the front seat was applauding vigorously, so every one
else, especially Mrs. Dobson, did the same, with the result that the
accomplished vocalist sang them all over again, making exactly the same
faces.

After that an old lady in a yellow wig livened things up with a rendering
of Tosti's "Good-bye" in a cracked contralto. While the audience was
applauding, Joan noticed that Jack Leclerc got up. He was making his way