her home on Wednesday
he was shown to a drawing-room large in size but crowded with furniture.
Little tables, chairs, footstools, anything which would serve as a
stumbling-block, seemed to be placed in the direct path of the guest
advancing toward his hostess.

Robert, seeing that it behooved him to walk as delicately as Agag,
reached Mrs. Symmes without misadventure, and after exchanging the usual
light-weight coin of conventional greeting, looked about him for a
familiar face. Most of the people he knew only casually; but presently,
he spied Mrs. Habersham and made his way toward her as rapidly as the
manifold objects in his path permitted.

She was, as usual, in one of the shades of American Beauty, which she so
much affected, and which were admirably suited to her, giving depth and
opulence, the rich restfulness of color to her too sharply defined and
restless beauty. Upon her breast was her silver butterfly and the
enameled chains were about her throat.

"I have walked twice across this room," said Hayden triumphantly, after
shaking hands with her, "and I haven't fallen once. If I came here often
I should bring an ax, notch the furniture and then clear a path. There
goes some one!" as a heavy stumble was heard. "I did better than that."

"Don't boast. Remember that it's the wicked who stand in slippery
places," said Bea, with meaning. "But indeed, I am glad you got here.
There is some distorted, goggle-eyed Chinese monster at my elbow, and on
the table before me is an ornament which chills the marrow of my bones. I
dare not look up."

Hayden gazed bravely about him. "I don't think I ever saw such a hideous
room in my life," he said slowly and with conviction.

"There is only one room in the world uglier," Bea assured him, "and that
is the dining-room; but they do say that the wall-paper in her bed-room
is of a bright scarlet, with large lozenges representing green and blue
parrots swinging in gilded cages."

Hayden laughed and shivered. "It takes strong nerves," he said. "Do you
suppose there are people who come often?"

"Oh, dear me, yes," returned Mrs. Habersham. "One would dine in Inferno
if the food were good. Her table is as perfect as her house and gowns are
dreadful, and then Edith herself is very clever and amusing. Here she
comes."

"The cause of this delay," smiled Mrs. Symmes in passing, "is Mrs. Ames.
I'll give her just one minute more."

Bea smiled perfunctorily, and then turned on Hayden