r less importance made a mental note to nod to
Kingston Brooks next time they saw him, and Mr. Bullsom trudged up his
avenue with fresh schemes maturing in his mind. In the domestic circle
he further unburdened himself.

"Mrs. Bullsom," he said, "I am thinking of giving a dinner-party. How
many people do we know better than ourselves?"

Mrs. Bullsom was aghast, and the young ladies, Selina and Louise, who
were in the room, were indignant.

"Really, papa," Selina exclaimed, "what do you mean?"

"What I say," he answered, gruffly. "We're plain people, your mother
and I, at any rate, and when you come to reckon things up, I suppose
you'll admit that we're not much in the social way. There's plenty of
people living round us in a sight smaller houses who don't know us, and
wouldn't if they could--and I'm not so sure that it's altogether the
fault of your father and mother either, Selina," he added, breaking
ruthlessly in upon a sotto-voce remark of that young lady's.

"Well, I never!" Selina exclaimed, tossing her head.

"Come, come, I don't want no sauce from you girls," he added, drifting
towards the fireplace, and adopting a more assured tone as he reached
his favourite position. "I've reasons for wishing to have Mr. Kingston
Brooks here, and I'd like him to meet gentlefolk. Now, there's the
Vicar and his wife. Do you suppose they'd come?"

"Well, I should like to know why not," Mrs. Bullsom remarked, laying
down her knitting, "when it's only three weeks ago you sent him ten
guineas for the curates' fund. Come indeed! They'd better."

"Then there's Dr. Seventon," Mr. Bullsom continued, "and his wife.
Better drop him a line and tell him to look in and see me at the office.
I can invent something the matter with me, and I'd best drop him a hint.
They say Mrs. Seventon is exclusive. But I'll just let him know she's
got to come. Now, who else, girls?"

"The Huntingdons might come--if they knew that it was this sort of an
affair," Selina remarked, thoughtfully.

"And Mr. Seaton," Louise added. "I'm sure he's most gentlemanly."

"I don't want gentlemanly people this time," Mr. Bullsom declared, "I
want gentle-people. That's all there is about it. I let you ask who
you like to the house, and give you what you want for subscriptions and
clothes and such-like. You've had a free 'and. Now let's see something
for it. Half-a-dozen couples'll be enough if you can't get more, but I
Won't have the Nortons, or the Marvises, o