Gladys was spending a few days with her friend, Addie Loring. It was to be her last visit before her marriage, and the two girls were making the most of it. Mr. Loring invited them to accompany him to hear Parepa Rosa, and sent word to Geoffrey to join them; but he had an engagement for the first half of the evening, and could not; he would, however, join them later, he said in the note that he sent his betrothed. Mrs. Loring was not well, and did not feel equal to going out, and so her husband had to be both chaperon and escort for the young ladies. Everet Mapleson saw them the moment they entered their box, while it was not long before Miss Loring discovered his vicinity, when she bowed and smiled most cordially. A moment later she leaned forward and whispered to her father, who nodded assent, and then made a signal for Everet to come and join his party. The young man needed no second invitation, and was soon seated between the two young ladies, gayly parrying Miss Loring’s witty shots at his having come to the opera all alone, when there were so many belles and beauties who would have been delighted to share the pleasure with him. Gladys drew herself a little apart. She felt uncomfortable to have him there, under any circumstances, while, too, she was interested in the opera, and it annoyed her to have those around her conversing, even though it was scarcely above their breath. When the curtain went down, after the second act, Addie Loring raised her glass and began gazing about her. Suddenly her face lighted, and, bending forward, she waved her hand to some one in the audience near them. “Oh papa,” she said, turning eagerly to her father, “there is Sadie Nutting! She must have returned on the last steamer. See! she is beckoning to me. Will you take me to her just for a few moments, while the curtain is down? I am sure Gladys and Mr. Mapleson will excuse us and entertain each other while we are gone, and we won’t be five minutes.” Mr. Loring glanced at Everet, hoping he would offer to escort his daughter, for he was too comfortably seated to care to be disturbed. But the young man had no such intention; this was just the opportunity he had been wanting, ever since he came to New York, and he meant to improve it, even though he should have only “five minutes.” He said: “Certainly, certainly,” to Miss Loring, “go, by all means, to see your friend, if you wish,” and he watched the father and daughter with a secret thrill of triumph as they went out, leaving him alone with Gladys. She was greatly disturbed by the incident. She could not blame Addie, for she knew that she was ignorant of her feelings toward Everet Mapleson; but she wished, with all her heart, that Geoffrey would come, so that she need not be alone with Everet. The moment the doors closed upon Mr. Loring and his daughter, Everet turned smilingly toward his companion, and drew his chair nearer to her.