"Far better," said Elma simply. They heard the bars of the railway polonaise, and the schoolroom, being just over the drawing-room, they had also the full benefit of Lance’s exploit. Adelaide Maud laughed and laughed. "Oh, what will Mrs. Dudgeon say?" asked Elma. She told Adelaide Maud about the party, a frightful "breach of etiquette," as Mabel informed her later. Adelaide Maud’s face grew serious and rather sad. "What a pity you live in another ph--phrase of society," sighed Elma, "or you would be coming too, wouldn’t you?" "Would you really ask me?" asked Adelaide Maud. Ask her? Did Adelaide Maud think that if the world were made of gold and one could help one’s self to it, one wouldn’t have a little piece now and again! She was just about to explain that they would do anything in the world to ask her, when Cuthbert came into the room. Adelaide Maud got so stiff at that moment, that immediately Elma understood that it would never do to ask her to the party. Cuthbert explained that Mrs. Dudgeon had sent him to fetch Miss Dudgeon. "Oh," said Adelaide Maud. She did not make the slightest move towards leaving, however. She looked straight at Cuthbert, and Elma could have sworn she saw her lip quiver. "I believe I have to apologize to you," she said in a very cold voice. "I cut out a dance, didn’t I--at the Calthorps’!" "Did you?" asked Cuthbert. Elma wondered that he could be so negligent in speaking to Adelaide Maud. She never could bear to see Cuthbert severe, and it had the effect of terrifying her a trifle and making her take the hand of Adelaide Maud in a defensive sort of manner. Adelaide Maud held her hand quite tightly, as though Elma were really a friend of some standing. "I didn’t intend to, but I know it seemed like it," said Adelaide Maud in perfectly freezing tones. Cuthbert looked at her very directly, and seemed to answer the freezing side more than the apologizing one. "Oh--a small thing of that sort, what does it matter"? he said grandly. Adelaide Maud turned quite pale. "Thank you," said she. "It’s quite sweet of you to take it like that," and she marched out of the schoolroom with her skirts swishing and her head high. No--it would never do to invite Adelaide Maud to the party. Elma however had seen another side to this very dignified lady, and so ran after her and took her hand again. "You aren’t vexed with me, are you?" she whispered. Adelaide Maud at the turn of the stairs, and just at the point where Cuthbert, coming savagely behind, could not see, bent and kissed Elma. "What day do you go to Miss Grace’s?" she asked. "To-morrow at three," whispered Elma, with her plans quite suddenly arranged. "Don’t tell," said Adelaide Maud, "I shall be there."