_Campbell_, with a wild, spluttering laugh: "Well, the disappointments certainly had their compensations. Roberts, just let them see how well you look in Merrick's coat! Or, no: try Baker's first; I think Baker's is a little more swell on you, if anything." _Bella_, at the door: "Supper is served, Mrs. Roberts." _Campbell:_ "Supper?" _Mrs. Roberts:_ "Oh, yes! Mrs. Miller never gives you anything but ice-cream; and I thought we should all need something hot when we got back, and so I had a few--But I forgot all about the supper!" _Campbell:_ "I'm glad Bella didn't. Better let Bella put Roberts's clothes away, after this." _Mrs. Roberts_, in extreme dejection: "Yes, I think I really had, Willis. I'm not fit to be Edward's wife, if I behave that way to him." _Campbell:_ "Well, well, he must have a divorce, then; but not till after supper." _Mrs. Campbell:_ "Yes, never mind now, Agnes. It's all turned out well, as it is: Edward has been spared a fearful bore, and nobody will ever be any the wiser about your putting away his evening dress--" _Campbell:_ "Oh, indeed! _Won't_ they? When Baker and Merrick meet at the club, and exchange notes about Agnes locking up Roberts's clothes--" _Mrs. Roberts_, with horror: "Edward! You didn't send that word to them!" _Roberts:_ "Why--why--I'm afraid we did, something like it, my dear. We had to explain our request, somehow--" _Mrs. Roberts_, relaxing into a chair: "Then I simply never can hold up my head again." She lets it fall in typical despair. _Mrs. Campbell_, pressing the annunciator, with the energy of a lioness at bay: "I don't believe it's as bad as that. It simply can't be. It would be too abominable." As Bella appears in answer to the bell: "Did you tell the gentlemen, when you went to borrow the coats for Mr. Roberts, that Mrs. Roberts had locked up his dress-suit?" _Bella:_ "Why, that's what Mr. Campbell said to say, ma'am, but I didn't believe Mrs. Roberts would quite like it, ma'am, and so I said--" She hesitates, and Mrs. Roberts springs to her feet, with arms outstretched to her. _Mrs. Roberts:_ "_What_, Bella?" _Bella:_ "Why, you know, ma'am, I couldn't help thinking how things fly about a house like this." _Mrs. Roberts:_ "Yes, yes!" _Mrs. Campbell:_ "Go on!" _Bella:_ "I didn't believe the gentlemen would have sent word like that themselves, if they'd thought of it; and so--" [Illustration: "THAT LITTLE SUPPER"] _Mrs. Roberts:_ "And so?" _Mrs. Campbell:_ "So?" _Bella:_ "I know you like to have me always speak the truth, and so I do, to you, ma'am, and every lady I ever lived with; but I wasn't going to have that young waitress of Mrs. Baker's and that nasty cook of Mrs. Merrick's laughing at us." _Campbell:_ "Well, and what did you do?" _Mrs. Roberts:_ "Yes, Bella!" _Bella:_ "I told Mrs. Merrick's cook that the gentlemen were getting up some charades; and I told Mr. Baker's second girl that the tailor hadn't sent Mr. Roberts's coat home."