one's self."

"Alicia!" interposed the miserable Robert, "I do wish you'd be
reasonable. For heaven's sake----"

"Kindly do not swear, Robert," said his wife, turning ferociously on
him. "If I have made a mistake, I am sure it was but natural. If this is
not a breakfast-party, pray what is it? A man of your age would not
indulge in _suppers_"--she gave the word an emphasis that insinuated
Cremorne--"so what can I think? I hear an unusual noise--I come
down-stairs and find my husband hobnobbing with a strange gentleman and
his ... friend ... whom I _have_ met, but----"

Lionel rose, but Beatrice was wiser and forestalled him.

"Your surprise and indignation are only natural, Mrs. Hedderwick," she
said coolly, "but they will be abated when you learn that our untimely
visit is in connection with a police affair."

Her instinct was right. Curiosity conquered the churchwarden's wife,
where an appeal to pity or kindred emotions would have failed. She
relaxed her frigid attitude and said, "Indeed?"

"Yes," pursued Beatrice. "I can not tell you all at present, but be
assured that if it ever comes into court your evidence will be of
value." Mrs. Hedderwick smoothed her dressing-gown and determined to
appear in the witness-box in mauve. "Will you just tell us this: did any
stranger call here this evening?"

"Yes," answered Mrs. Hedderwick, divided between resentment and a thirst
for knowledge. "A lady, or at least a female, called and inquired for my
husband."

"A lady!" ejaculated Mr. Hedderwick. "This promises well----"

His wife's eye compelled him again to his seat. "I think, Robert, if you
evinced less interest in such a subject it would be more seemly. The
female in question asked if she might wait, as she wished to beg a
subscription for an anti-suffragist league. I am in sympathy with such
an object and allowed her to remain. In the course of our conversation
she referred to an article on dress in one of the women's papers. I
happened to have the journal and offered to fetch it; she agreed,
thinking that the plate of a new blouse might suit my style."

"So you left her alone!" broke in Lionel.

"For a bare two minutes. When I returned she was still there. We
discussed the blouse for a while, and presently she said that she must
go, but would return later."

"Plagiarist!" said Beatrice with a smile. "Did you happen to notice how
she was dressed?"

"I never notice such things," said Mrs. Hedderwick with dig