consultation and whom he
found socially acceptable. Lord, like the Addisons, was in society,
but only as a minor figure.

Trust Cowperwood to do the thing as it should be done. The place they
had leased was a charming little gray-stone house, with a neat flight
of granite, balustraded steps leading up to its wide-arched door, and a
judicious use of stained glass to give its interior an artistically
subdued atmosphere. Fortunately, it was furnished in good taste.
Cowperwood turned over the matter of the dinner to a caterer and
decorator. Aileen had nothing to do but dress, and wait, and look her
best.

"I needn't tell you," he said, in the morning, on leaving, "that I want
you to look nice to-night, pet. I want the Addisons and Mr. Rambaud to
like you."

A hint was more than sufficient for Aileen, though really it was not
needed. On arriving at Chicago she had sought and discovered a French
maid. Although she had brought plenty of dresses from Philadelphia,
she had been having additional winter costumes prepared by the best and
most expensive mistress of the art in Chicago--Theresa Donovan. Only
the day before she had welcomed home a golden-yellow silk under heavy
green lace, which, with her reddish-gold hair and her white arms and
neck, seemed to constitute an unusual harmony. Her boudoir on the
night of the dinner presented a veritable riot of silks, satins, laces,
lingerie, hair ornaments, perfumes, jewels--anything and everything
which might contribute to the feminine art of being beautiful. Once in
the throes of a toilet composition, Aileen invariably became restless
and energetic, almost fidgety, and her maid, Fadette, was compelled to
move quickly. Fresh from her bath, a smooth, ivory Venus, she worked
quickly through silken lingerie, stockings and shoes, to her hair.
Fadette had an idea to suggest for the hair. Would Madame let her try
a new swirl she had seen? Madame would--yes. So there were movings of
her mass of rich glinting tresses this way and that. Somehow it would
not do. A braided effect was then tried, and instantly discarded;
finally a double looping, without braids, low over the forehead, caught
back with two dark-green bands, crossing like an X above the center of
her forehead and fastened with a diamond sunburst, served admirably.
In her filmy, lacy boudoir costume of pink silk Aileen stood up and
surveyed herself in the full-length mirror.

"Yes," she said, turning her head thi