hat is in the embroidery of
the future, and in no way modifies the criticism of Dora Milburn.

Lorne Murchison, however, was invited to the dance. The invitation
reached him through the post: coming home from office early on Saturday
he produced it from his pocket. Mrs Murchison and Abby sat on the
verandah enjoying the Indian summer afternoon; the horse chestnuts
dropped crashing among the fallen leaves, the roadside maples blazed,
the quiet streets ran into smoky purple, and one belated robin hopped
about the lawn. Mrs Murchison had just remarked that she didn't know
why, at this time of year, you always felt as if you were waiting for
something.

"Well, I hope you feel honoured," remarked Abby. Not one of them
would have thought that Lorne should feel especially honoured; but the
insincerity was so obvious that it didn't matter. Mrs Murchison, cocking
her head to read the card, tried hard not to look pleased.

"Mrs Milburn. At Home," she read. "Dancing. Well she might be at home
dancing, for all me! Why couldn't she just write you a little friendly
note, or let Dora do it? It's that Ormiston case," she went on shrewdly.
"They know you're taking a lot of trouble about it. And the least they
could do, too."

Lorne sat down on the edge of the verandah with his hands in his
trousers pockets, and stuck his long legs out in front of him. "Oh, I
don't know," he said. "They have the name of being nifty, but I haven't
got anything against the Milburns."

"Name!" ejaculated Mrs Murchison. "Now long ago was it the Episcopalians
began that sewing-circle business for the destitute clergy of
Saskatchewan?"

"Mother!" put in Abby, with deprecation.

"Well, I won't be certain about the clergy, but I tell you it had to do
with Saskatchewan, for that I remember! And anyhow, the first meeting
was held at the Milburns'--members lent their drawing-rooms. Well, Mrs
Leveret and Mrs Delarue went to the meeting--they were very thick just
then, the Leverets and the Delarues. They were so pleased to be going
that they got there about five minutes too soon, and they were the first
to come. Well, they rang the bell and in they went. The girl showed them
into the front drawing-room and asked them to sit down. And there in the
back drawing-room sat Mrs Milburn and Miss Filkin, AND NEVER SPOKE TO
THEM! Took not the smallest notice, any more than if they had been stray
cats--not so much! Their own denomination, mind you, too! And there they