ing the magnificent gown and
wonderful jewels which made her the cynosure of every eye in the
Metropolitan's aristocratic horse-shoe circle. Fanny had gone to her
own apartment and Josephine, the French maid, took from her mistress
her cloak and opera bag. While the girl disposed of the articles she
chattered in French:

"Je pensais que Madame rentrerait un peu plus tard--"

"Yes," replied Virginia languidly, "we returned much earlier than we
expected. The opera was stupid--"

Josephine, a born diplomat, stopped short and, going into ecstasies
over her mistress's gown, exclaimed rapturously:

"Oh, que Madame est jolie ce soir, vraiement ravissante!"

"I'm glad the gown looks well," replied Virginia with an air of weary
indifference as she sank down on a sofa.

"Mais oui--Madame n'a jamais ete si jolie."

"Donnez moi mes pantoufles," said her mistress with a yawn. She was
very tired and was glad to change her tight opera slippers for more
comfortable footwear.

"Oui, Madame!"

Josephine knelt down, took off the dainty slippers, and, going to a
closet, brought a pair of easy bedroom slippers and put them on.

"Has Mr. Stafford returned?" inquired Virginia.

"No, Madame."

"Nor 'phoned?"

"No, Madame. Did not Monsieur go to opera with Madame and Madame
Gillie?"

"Yes," said her mistress hastily, "but he couldn't stay. He had some
business to attend to. You are quite sure he hasn't 'phoned?"

The girl shook her head.

"No message, Madame. I find out." Picking up the receiver from a
telephone on the bureau, she spoke downstairs: "Hello! Who is this?
Madame want to know if any word has come from Monsieur since he went
away! You are quite sure? Merci!" Replacing the receiver, she shook
her head and said: "No, Madame."

Virginia looked away. Her hands were tightly clenched and a hard, set
expression came into her face. Rising, she said:

"Very well. I'll get into something loose."

"Oui, Madame!"

The girl took off her mistress's jewels and put them away in a drawer
of the dressing table. This done, she began to unhook her dress.

Virginia shivered. She did not feel well; her face was flushed and her
head ached. She thought that, possibly, she had taken cold. In a tone
of mild reproach she said:

"The bath was a little cold this morning, Josephine."

The maid looked distressed. Such a calamity was unheard of--hardly to
be believed. Apologetically she exclaimed:

"Je suis vraiment desolee, Madame