uce me."

She did so without a tremor.

"And give him the next dance for me," she added. "I've just cut one of
his, and he's been most forgiving."

"Too late," said Berry. "I have not wasted the shining thirty minutes
which I have just spent in Lady Elizabeth's luxurious car. She knows him
for the craven that he is."

"I must judge for myself," said my lady, turning to me with a smile.
"He's given you a terrible----"

The sentence was never finished, for Berry turned to look at somebody,
and Maisie noticed his back for the first time. Her involuntary cry was
succeeded by a peal of laughter which attracted the attention of every
one within earshot, and in a moment my brother-in-law found himself the
object of much interested amusement, which the majority of onlookers
made no attempt to conceal.

My lady fled to her cloakroom. Hastily I escorted Maisie, still helpless
with laughter, to her car.

I returned to find Berry entertaining a large audience of complete
strangers in the vestibule with a fantastic account of his experiences
at Stanhope Gate. Concealing myself behind a pillar, I awaited Lady
Elizabeth's return.

"Yes," said Berry. "Betrayed by my accomplices, I found myself, as it
were, a shred of flotsam adrift in the darkling streets. Several people
thought I was the Marble Arch, and left me on the left. Others, more
discerning, conjured me to pull in to the kerb. Removing from my north
instep the hoof which, upon examination, I found to be attached to a
large mammal, I started to wade south-west and by south, hoping against
hope and steering by the Milky Way. Happily I had my ration-card, and I
derived great comfort from its pregnant directions, which I read from
time to time by the smell of the red-hot lamp which I was bearing...."

Here my lady appeared, and I led her into the corridor and on to the
floor.

As she had promised, she was wearing a silver frock. One white shoulder
was left bare, and a heavy fringe, that swayed evenly with her every
movement, made the sum line of her dress still more graceful. Silvery
stockings covered her gleaming ankles, and she was shod with silver
shoes.

For a little we spoke of Berry, and she told me how he had boarded her
car and respectfully begged her compassion. Then I spoke of the bitter
wind which had blown us about so inconsiderately, before the fog had
come to lay upon us stripes of another kind.

"I lost my hat one day," I added casually.

At that s