ne-third clothes and two-thirds
conceit. I asked him if he thought he should like Chicago, and, knowing
I was from the East, he confidently replied: 'It is not New York, you
know, but I suppose one can get used to anything in time.'"

"I don't care, I like him," Marion replied.

"Hush, here he comes," said Florence hurriedly.

A servant announced Mr. Grahame, and as Duncan entered, Marion said in a
somewhat surprised tone, "Are you always so prompt?"

"No; it is quite a mistake, I assure you," he replied. "I will not be so
vulgarly exact next time."

"It is a provincialism quite permissible in the West," said Marion.

"Indeed! But I have not yet said good afternoon," replied Duncan; "have
you recovered from the dissipation of last evening?"

"Quite."

"And you, Miss Moreland?"

"Look at her cheeks, Mr. Grahame," interjected Marion.

"I see it is needless to ask about your health, Miss Moreland, but I
trust I may say I admire your snow costume."

"You must have a fondness for brilliant colors," said Florence.

"Decidedly; shades and tints were made for funerals and frowns," he
replied.

"I don't like to interrupt," interposed Marion hurriedly, "but I fear it
is time for Mr. Grahame and me to be going."

"Are you not to accompany us, Miss Moreland?" said Duncan.

"Not in this costume, certainly," laughed Florence.

"Then I shall say _au revoir_."

"Where am I to be taken?" said Duncan, as he and Marion descended the
steps of the house.

"To meet my most bitter enemy, Mrs. McSeeney," she replied.

"I admire your courage," he said.

"O, there is no danger of bodily harm, as we are quite on speaking
terms; a sort of armed neutrality, you know."

"Am I to be used as an offensive or a defensive weapon?" Duncan asked.

"Neither; I shall use you as a flag of truce; but whatever happens don't
you dare to say she is good looking or brilliant."

"I promise," he answered, "but please tell me who she is and what she
is."

"You ought to know her; she is a New Yorker,--at least she was three
years ago--her husband is the president of an elevated railway company
and made her come here to live. She hates Chicago, and takes her revenge
by saying disagreeable things about it. For some reason she has singled
me out as the particular object of her antipathy and you can imagine
there is no love lost between us. But here we are at her door, so I
can't tell you any more."

They had reached an awning-covered doorw