riend addressed. "But they say she
belongs to the Inca race."

The graceful girl moving by the side of her giant escort seemed like a
slender ray of light, a radiant, elfish form, transparent, intangible,
gliding softly along with a huge, black shadow. She was simply clad,
all in white. About her neck hung a string of pearls, and at her waist
she wore the rare orchids which Ames had sent her that afternoon. But
no one saw her dress. No one marked the pure simplicity of her attire.
The absence of sparkling jewels and resplendent raiment evoked no
comment. The multitude saw but her wonderful face; her big eyes,
uplifted in trustful innocence to the massive form at her side; her
rich brown hair, which glittered like string-gold in the strong light
that fell in torrents upon it.

"Hitt, she isn't human! There's a nimbus about her head!"

"I could almost believe it," whispered that gentleman, straining his
long neck as she passed before him. "God! has she fallen into Ames's
net?"

Immediately behind Carmen and Ames strode the enraptured Mrs.
Hawley-Crowles, who saw not, neither heard, and who longed for no
further taste of heaven than this stupendous triumph which she had won
for herself and the girl. Her heavy, unshapely form was squeezed into
a marvelous costume of gold brocade. A double ballet ruffle of stiff
white tulle encircled it about the hips as a drapery. The bodice was
of heavy gold net. A pleated band of pale moire, in a delicate shade
of pink, crossed the left shoulder and was caught at the waist in a
large rose bow, ambassadorial style. A double necklace of diamonds,
one bearing a great pendant of emeralds, and the other an alternation
of emeralds and diamonds, encircled her short, thick neck. A diamond
coronet fitted well around her wonderful amber-colored wig--for, true
to her determination, she had anticipated the now _passee_ Mrs. Ames
and had boldly launched the innovation of colored wigs among the smart
set. An ivory, hand-painted fan, of great value, dangled from her
thick wrist. And, as she lifted her skirts to an unnecessary height,
the gaping people caught the glitter of a row of diamonds in each
high, gilded heel.

At her side the young Duke of Altern shuffled, his long, thin body
curved like a kangaroo, and his monocle bent superciliously upon the
mass of common clay about him. "Aw, beastly crush, ye know," he
murmured from time to time to the unhearing dame at his right. And
then, as she rep