1. THE COUNTESS OF LOWNDES SQUARE 3 2. THE BLACKMAILER OF PARK LANE 25 GENERAL STORIES 1. THE DANCE ON THE BEEFSTEAK 69 2. THE ORIOLISTS 84 3. IN THE DARK 110 4. THE FALSE STEP      126 SPOOK STORIES 1. THE CASE OF FRANK HAMPDEN 145 2. MRS. ANDREWS’S CONTROL 171 3. THE APE 184 4. “THROUGH” 210 CAT STORIES 1. “PUSS-CAT” 231 2. THERE AROSE A KING 247 CRANK STORIES 1. THE TRAGEDY OF OLIVER BOWMAN 267 2. PHILIP’S SAFETY RAZOR 288 BLACKMAILING STORIES THE COUNTESS OF LOWNDES SQUARE And Other Stories THE COUNTESS OF LOWNDES SQUARE Cynthia, Countess of Hampshire, was sitting in an extraordinarily elaborate dressing-gown one innocent morning in June, alternately opening letters and eating spoonfuls of sour milk prepared according to the prescription of Professor Metchnikoff. Every day it made her feel younger and stronger and more irresponsible (which is the root of all joy to natures of a serious disposition), and since (when a fortnight before she began this abominable treatment) she felt very young already, she was now almost afraid that she would start again on measles, croup, hoops, whooping-cough, peppermints, and other childish ailments and passions. But since this treatment not only induced youth, but was discouraging to all microbes but its own, she hoped as regards ailments that she would continue to feel younger and younger without suffering the penalties of childhood. The sour milk was finished long before her letters were all opened, for there was no one in London who had a larger and more festive post than she. Indeed, it was no wonder that everybody of sense (and most people of none) wanted her to eat their dinners and stay in their houses, for her volcanic enjoyment of life made the dullest of social functions a high orgy, and since nothing is nearly so infectious as enjoyment, it followed that she was much in request. Even in her fiftieth year she retained with her youthful zest for life much of the extreme plainness of her girlhood, but time was gradually lightening the heaviness of feature that had once formed so remarkable an ugliness, and in a few years more, no doubt, she would become as nice looking as everybody else of her age.