was really no wonder that I regarded that as a promise. Well, when I told him that, Mitchell said, "He offered you a box, did he? Very nice of him. You know who he is, don't you? He's a man who has come to see about the electric lighting for the footlights. I've never seen him before." Now, you know, Edith, it was a most infernal shame of Mitchell to let me make the mistake with his eyes open. Here was I talking about acting and plays, deferentially consulting him, asking for artistic hints and boxes from an electrical engineer! Oh, it's too bad, it really is.' 'So you quarrelled with Mitchell again?' 'We had a few words.' 'Then the manager was not there?' 'No; he'd promised, but didn't turn up. I told Mitchell what I thought of him in very plain terms. I went so far even as to threaten to throw up my part, and he said, "Well, all right, if you don't like it you can give it up at any time," I said, "Who else could you get at the last minute to play a footman's part?" and he said, "Our footman!"' 'That would be realism, wouldn't it?' 'I was awfully hurt, but it was settled I was to stick to it. Then there are other things. That horrid Miss Flummerfelt--how I do dislike that girl--had been silly enough to go boasting to Mrs Mitchell of my invitation to lunch the other day.' 'Boasting!' said Edith. 'Yes, it was a shame, because of course I only asked her simply and solely as a way of returning some of the Mitchells' hospitality--' 'Then why did you mind their knowing?' Edith inquired. 'I _didn't_ mind their knowing. How stupid you are, Edith. But I objected strongly to the tone in which Miss Flummerfelt had evidently spoken of it--to the light in which she had represented the whole thing. Mrs Mitchell came up to me in her soft purring way--what a horrid little woman she is!' 'Why, you told me she was so sweet and charming!' 'I didn't know her so well then. She came up to me and said, "Oh, Mr Ottley, will you think it rude of me if I suggest that you don't ask dear Elsa out to lunch any more? She said it's so awkward always refusing, but she's not allowed to go out like that without her mother. In fact, though her father is German by birth, she's been brought up quite in the French style. And though, of course, we know you meant no harm, she's positively shocked. You really mustn't flirt with her, Mr Ottley. She doesn't like it. In fact, she asked me to speak to you about it." There was a nice position for me, Edith! Isn't Miss Flummerfelt a treacherous little beast?' 'I thought you said she was so enormously tall. A regal-looking creature was what you called her the first time you met her. Anyhow, you must have been trying to flirt with her, Bruce. I think it rather serves you right. Well, what happened?'