“Stuff and nonsense!” exclaimed his sister rising in indignation from her chair and moving toward the door, saying, “I positively will hear no more of your absurd science. It’s all foolishness. If that be the idiocy that you learn from ethnology I think that you had better occupy your time otherwise. Thanks to your ‘authorities’ and their crazy notions, I suppose that I shall dream all night of monkeys and monsters, but even that is better than sitting her and listening to my brother, whom I supposed had some brains, talk like a fit subject for the lunatic asylum.” With the closing sentence, as a parting shot at her brother the incensed spinster sailed out of the door and with a whisk went up stairs to her virgin chamber. X. “Lucy Burton is a perfect dream tonight, is she not?” exclaimed enthusiastically Alice Stanhope, gazing admiringly at the fair companion of her school days who had just entered the room leaning on the arm of her husband. “Almost as pretty as you are,” gallantly replied ‘Bertie’ Winthrop, to whom the remark of the young woman was addressed. “Well, don’t expect me to vie with you in flattery and reply by saying that Mr. Burton is almost as handsome as you are, for I am like the father of our country, ‘I can’t tell a lie.’” “Oh! Now, that’s good. I am justified in supposing from that speech that Burton is not nearly as handsome as I am, much obliged,” replied young Winthrop, laughing and making a profound obeisance to the pretty creature beside him. “You know what I mean you rascal, so don’t try to look innocent. See with what adoring glances Lucy looks up into her husband’s face,” said Miss Stanhope again calling her attendant’s attention to the group of guests near the entrance. “Are you going to look at me like that a year from now?” asked ‘Bertie’ in a quizzical fashion as he slyly squeezed the dimpled elbow near his side. On dit, Alice Stanhope and Albert Winthrop will soon be married. “Bertie, you horrid tease, I don’t believe you will ever deserve to be looked at except angrily,” retorted the blushing girl and added as she moved a little further from him, “And you behave, sir, or I won’t let you remain by me another minute.” “It’s a deuce of a crush you have gotten up,” said ‘Bertie’ promptly disregarding the warning that he had received by stepping up close to the side of his fiancee. “Where did you get all these people anyway, Alice?” “There’s no ‘all these people’ about it, they are the musical set among my friends in Boston and New York; as Signor Capello and Mme. Cantara are to sing of course everyone invited was eager to be present.” “Never invite all your musical friends to dine with us when we are—” “Hush, you embarrassing wretch,” cried Miss Stanhope turning to welcome some recently arrived guests.