and set in motion a
perfect hurricane of talk. It was rumored that the old Prime Minister,
Lord Parham, had himself said a caustic word to Lady Kitty, that Royalty
was annoyed, and that William Ashe had for once scolded his wife
seriously.

Lady Tranmore was well aware that there was, at any rate, no truth in
the last report; but she also knew that there was a tone of sharpness in
the London chatter that was new with regard to Kitty. It was as though a
certain indulgence was wearing out, and what had been amusement was
passing into criticism.

She and Margaret French discussed the matter a little, <i>sotto voce</i>,
while Margaret went on with the invitations and Lady Tranmore made a
French toy dance and spin for the babe's amusement. Their tone was one
of close and friendly intimacy, an intimacy based clearly upon one
common interest--their relation to Kitty. Margaret French was one of
those beings in whom, for our salvation, this halting, hurried world of
ours is still on the whole rich. She was unmarried, thirty-five, and
poor. She lived with her brother, a struggling doctor, and she had come
across Kitty in the first months of Kitty's married life, on some
fashionable Soldiers' Aid Committee, where Margaret had done the work
and Kitty with the other great ladies had reaped the fame. Kitty had
developed a fancy for her, and presently could not live without her. But
Margaret, though it soon became evident that she had taken Kitty and, in
due time, the child--Ashe, too, for the matter of that--deep into her
generous heart, preserved a charming measure in the friendship offered
her. She would owe Kitty nothing, either socially or financially. When
Kitty's smart friends appeared, she vanished. Nobody in her own world
ever heard her mention the name of Lady Kitty Ashe, largely as that name
was beginning to figure in the gossip of the day. But there were few
things concerning the Hill Street menage that Lady Tranmore could not
safely and rightly discuss with her; and even Ashe himself went to her
for counsel.

"I am afraid this has made things worse than ever with the Parhams,"
said Lady Tranmore, presently.

Margaret shook her head anxiously.

"I hope Kitty won't throw over their dinner next week."

"She is talking of it!"

"Yesterday she had almost made up her mind," said Margaret, reluctantly.
"Perhaps you will persuade her. But she has been terribly angry with
Lord Parham--and with Lady P., too."

"And it wa