"I don't know what you're talking about," Dick answered, rather a nasty look coming into his eyes. "You're all right, Nellie, but you spend so much of your time talking that you never seem to say anything." "Better let up on him, folks," Mrs. Harlan observed mildly. "Dick knows what he is about, and it's still pretty good dope to learn to mind your own business." Conversations started along these lines have, in society of this elevated description, been known to break up the party, occasionally known to have led to the breaking of more tangible things, but a sharp ring at the bell interrupted them, and Brooks left the room quietly to admit the late visitor. "I wonder who that is?" questioned Mrs. Harlan. "I hope it's Bob Nelson. Bob's not much of a talker, but he's a real sport, and if we don't get some one to throw out a life-line pretty quick, this party is going to turn out punker than the show was." Brooks entered and, crossing to Fenway, announced in a low voice: "A lady to see you, sir." "Who is she?" "She wouldn't give her name, sir; said she wanted to see you, and if you weren't at home she'd wait." "Do you know her?" "No, sir, she has never been here before, sir." "Well, I don't know who she is, and I don't care. I can't be bothered going to the door this time of night. If she wants to see me she'll have to come in here; if she don't like that she can go away. Tell her so." "Yes, sir." "This place of mine is getting to be like the corner of Broadway and Forty-second Street," Dick said resentfully, as Brooks went to deliver his message. "I'm about the only one in New York who doesn't feel at home here." "Well, you are cranky to-night, I must say. That's a fine way to talk to a room full of guests," remonstrated Mrs. Harlan. "How do we know that----" "The lady, sir." Brooks' announcement interrupted Mrs. Harlan's speech, and they all glanced up as a young woman stood on the threshold and looked about her with wondering, excited eyes. Even to them there was something strangely out of place in this girl's presence here; and as they saw Mrs. Harlan's astonishment, and heard Dick's gasp of surprise, and something very like dismay, they scented something out of the ordinary, and bent forward in eager curiosity. "Lola!" Dick rose to his feet awkwardly. "Lola!" "Your man told me that to see you I must come in here, and it was very necessary that I should see you." "I beg your pardon, I had no idea. I--I--please come into the next room, where we can talk quietly." "I say, Dick," said Sam Norton thickly, "ain't you going to introduce the lady?" He rose rather unsteadily and started toward Lola. "You go to hell, Sam!" Dick pushed him away roughly. "Come, Miss Barnhelm, I am sure you will feel more at home in here." As he spoke he opened the door of the adjoining room and as she entered he turned so fiercely on the others that they lost at once any desire they may have had to satisfy their curiosity.