ome new sensations--was inclined to
look on the affair as an exhilarating interlude between the Shrove
Tuesday dance at Wessex House and the first Drawing-Room in May.
Jim--"in the Blues"--very eligible as a possible husband for the
daughters of ambitious mammas, a trifle spoiled, a little slow of wit,
and not a little self-satisfied--dismissed the whole incident as
"tommy-rot."

When Louisa first greeted them, Edie had whispered excitedly:

"Has he told you?"

And without waiting for a direct reply had continued, with unabated
eagerness:

"Awful exciting, don't you think?"

But Jim with the elegant drawl peculiar to his kind had suppressed
further confidences by an authoritative:

"Awful rot I call it, don't you? Luke is soft to worry about it."

Strangely enough, at luncheon it was Lord Radclyffe who brought up
the subject matter. Edie with the tactlessness of youth had asked a
point-blank question:

"Well," she said, "when is that wedding to be? and what are we
bridesmaids going to wear? I warn you I won't have white--I hate a
white wedding."

Then as no answer came she said impatiently:

"I wish you'd name the day, you two stupids. Awfully soft I call it
hanging about like this."

Luke would have said something then, but Louisa interposed.

"It is all my fault, Edie," she said. "You know I want to take the
twins out myself this season. I must give them a real good time before
I marry."

"Bosh!" remarked Edith unceremoniously. "Mabel and Chris will have a
far better time when you are married and can present them yourself.
Tell them from me that its no fun being 'out' and the longer they put
it off the better they'll enjoy themselves later on. Besides, Colonel
Harris will take them about."

"Father hates sitting up late--" hazarded Louisa, somewhat lamely.

"The truth of the matter is," here broke in Lord Radclyffe dryly,
"that Luke had persuaded you to put off the wedding because of this
d----d impostor who seems to have set you all off by the ears."

Edie laughed and said, "Bosh!" Jim growled and murmured, "Rot!"

Luke and Louisa were silent, the while Lord Radclyffe's closely-set,
dark, piercing eyes, wandered from one young face to the other.
Louisa, feeling uncomfortable beneath that none too amiable scrutiny,
did not know what to say, but Luke quietly remarked after awhile:

"You're right, uncle. It is my doing, but Lou agrees with me, and we
are going to wait until this cloud is properly