'It's shameful,' Peggy persisted. There was a moment's pause. Trix, feeling like an eavesdropper, looked the other way, but she could not avoid hearing. 'But I've had a windfall, Peggy,' said Airey Newton. 'On my honour, I have.' 'Yes, on my honour, he has,' urged Tommy earnestly. 'A good thumping one, isn't it, Airey?' 'One of my things has been a success, you know.' 'Oh, he hits 'em in the eye sometimes, Peggy.' 'Are you two men telling anything like the truth?' 'The absolute truth.' 'Bible truth!' declared Tommy Trent. 'Well, then, I'll come; but I don't think it makes what Tommy did any better.' 'Who cares, if you'll come?' asked Tommy. Suddenly Airey stepped forward to Trix Trevalla. His manner was full of hesitation--he was, in fact, awkward; but then he was performing a most unusual function. Peggy and Tommy Trent stood watching him, now and then exchanging a word. 'He's going to ask her,' whispered Peggy. 'Hanged if he isn't!' Tommy whispered back. 'Then he must have had it!' 'I told you so,' replied Tommy in an extraordinarily triumphant, imperfectly lowered voice. Yes, Airey Newton was asking Trix to join his dinner-party. 'It's--it's not much in my line,' he was heard explaining, 'but Trent's promised to look after everything for me. It's a small affair, of course, and--and just a small dinner.' 'Is it?' whispered Tommy with a wink, but Peggy did not hear this time. 'If you'd come----' 'Of course I will,' said Trix. 'Write and tell me the day, and I shall be delighted.' She did not see why he should hesitate quite so much, but a glance at Peggy and Tommy showed her that something very unusual had happened. 'It'll be the first dinner-party he's ever given,' whispered Peggy excitedly, and she added to Tommy, 'Are you going to order it, Tommy?' 'I've asked him to,' interposed Airey, still with an odd mixture of pride and apprehension. Peggy looked at Tommy suspiciously. 'If you don't behave well about it, I shall get up and go away,' was her final remark. Trix's brougham was at the door--she found it necessary now to hire one for night-work, her own horse and man finding enough to do in the daytime--and after a moment's hesitation she offered to drive Airey Newton home, declaring that she would enjoy so much of a digression from her way. He had been looking on rather vaguely while the others were dividing themselves into hansom-cab parties, and she received the impression that he meant, when everybody was paired, to walk off quietly by himself. Peggy overheard her invitation and said with a sort of relief:-- 'That'll do splendidly, Airey.' Airey agreed, but it seemed with more embarrassment than pleasure.