od like a rather squat avenging angel in the
doorway.

"What would your _father_ say to this?" she said sternly.

The company suspended their laughter and their cards, and looked
around. Miss Pinnegar wilted and felt strange under so many eyes.

"Father!" said Alvina. "But why father?"

"You lost girl!" said Miss Pinnegar, backing out and closing the
door.

Mr. May laughed so much that he knocked his whiskey over.

"There," he cried, helpless, "look what she's cost me!" And he went
off into another paroxysm, swelling like a turkey.

Ciccio opened his mouth, laughing silently.

"Lost girl! Lost girl! How lost, when you are at home?" said
Geoffrey, making large eyes and looking hither and thither as if
_he_ had lost something.

They all went off again in a muffled burst.

"No but, really," said Mr. May, "drinking and card-playing with
strange men in the drawing-room on Sunday evening, of _cauce_ it's
scandalous. It's _terrible_! I don't know how ever you'll be saved,
after such a sin. And in Manchester House, too--!" He went off into
another silent, turkey-scarlet burst of mirth, wriggling in his
chair and squealing faintly: "Oh, I love it, I love it! _You lost
girl!_ Why of _cauce_ she's lost! And Miss Pinnegar has only just
found it out. Who _wouldn't_ be lost? Why even Miss Pinnegar would
be lost if she could. Of _cauce_ she would! Quite natch'ral!"

Mr. May wiped his eyes, with his handkerchief which had
unfortunately mopped up his whiskey.

So they played on, till Mr. May and Geoffrey had won all the
pennies, except twopence of Ciccio's. Alvina was in debt.

"Well I think it's been a most agreeable game," said Mr. May. "Most
agreeable! Don't you all?"

The two other men smiled and nodded.

"I'm only sorry to think Miss Houghton has _lost_ so steadily all
evening. Really quite remarkable. But _then_--you see--I comfort
myself with the reflection 'Lucky in cards, unlucky in love.' I'm
certainly _hounded_ with misfortune in love. And I'm _sure_ Miss
Houghton would rather be unlucky in cards than in love. What, isn't
it so?"

"Of course," said Alvina.

"There, you see, _of cauce_! Well, all we can do after that is to
wish her success in love. Isn't that so, gentlemen? I'm sure _we_
are all quite willing to do our best to contribute to it. Isn't it
so, gentlemen? Aren't we all ready to do our best to contribute to
Miss Houghton's happiness in love? Well then, let us drink to it."
He lifted his glas