specially not too young."

"Oh, indeed!"

"She says it'll sort of pose her, and help her to get into society."

"What curious things to say to a boy."

"Oh, she's awfully jolly, mother. She says everything that comes into
her head. She's ripping--I do like her."

"Who was she?" asked his mother, with a rather chilling accent.

"I'm sure I don't know who she was," said the boy. "I can tell you who
she is: she's the prettiest woman I've ever seen."

"Good gracious me!"

"We had awful larks," went on Clifford. "She played with us and
Pickering's kiddy sister. We danced the Tango and had charades. You
can't think what fun it was. And we had tableaux. Mrs. Pickering and I
did a lovely tableau, 'Death in the Desert.' She fell down dead
suddenly, on the sand, you know, and I was a vulture. I'm an awfully
good vulture. And I vultured about and hopped round her for some
considerable time."

"Horrible!" cried Lady Kellynch. "Revolting! What an unpleasant subject
for a game."

"It wasn't a game: it was a proper tableau: we had a curtain and all
that sort of thing. They said I made a capital vulture. I pecked at Mrs.
Pickering. It was a great success."

"Dear me! Was it indeed? Well, if this lady's coming, you'd better go
and wash your hands," said Lady Kellynch, who felt a disposition to snub
Clifford on the subject.

"Of course I will! I say, mother, what cakes have you got?"

"Really, Clifford, I think you can leave that to me."

"They have jolly little _foie gras_ sandwiches at the Pickerings."

"I daresay they have."

"Can I go and tell cook to make some?"

"Most certainly not, Clifford!" cried the indignant mother.

"But if there aren't any, she might miss them," said Clifford.

"She will probably enjoy the change."

"You can't think how pretty she is! I say, mother."

"Yes, dear."

"I say, can't you have fur put round the edge of your shoes!"

"Fur round the edge of my shoes!" she repeated in a hollow voice.

He twisted his hands together self-consciously.

"Mrs. Pickering had an awful ripping violet sort of dress, and violet
satin boots with fur round the edge. ... I noticed them when we played
'Death in the Desert.' I thought they were rather pretty."

"Extremely bad style, I should think. At any rate, not the sort of thing
that I should dream of wearing. Now get along."

Clifford went down to the kitchen and worried the cook with descriptions
of the gorgeous cakes he had seen at the Picke