“Hello, dad. You’ll have to hustle and dress for dinner. You know we’re going to the opera to-night.” She couldn’t have shown less enthusiasm had she announced that it was time to retire. “It will only take me a few minutes,” he said. “Where’s Geraldine?” Elinor shrugged her shoulders indifferently. “I’m sure I don’t know. Dressing, I suppose.” Geraldine swept into the room, magnificently gowned in a striking costume of cloth of silver. “You’re very late, Hugh,” she said peevishly. “Where have you been all afternoon?” “Now, darling. You mustn’t be cross—I had something to do. My! How beautiful you are!” He attempted to caress her. “Please, Hugh,” she held him off, “I wish you wouldn’t paw all over me! Nanette simply couldn’t arrange my hair to suit me to-night! I had to do it myself and it was exasperatingly stubborn!” “It looks wonderful, darling.” “No, it doesn’t!” She walked to the mantel and stared into the mirror. “It looks a fright, but I can’t help it, and I did want to look particularly nice to-night.” “Why to-night?” Hugh asked curiously. “To me you always look particularly nice,” he added gallantly. “There are some people here from New York,” Geraldine answered his question without paying the slightest heed to his compliment—“people who had the impertinence deliberately to cut me—before we were married. I am looking forward to the pleasure of retaliating. I think the women will feel it a great deal more, if I am looking my best.” “What a disgusting parvenu!” was Elinor’s thought as she still stared into the lighted streets. “What a child you are,” Hugh laughed indulgently. “Well, I have something here,” and he pulled a long box from his pocket, “that may help you a little. This is what delayed me.” He held the long string of perfectly matched, lustrous pearls before her. “Oh, you darling!” she exclaimed, as she threw her arms about him, hair forgotten. “You are too good to me! Here, put them on me!” She stood still while he clasped the pearls and kissed her neck. “Aren’t they wonderful?” She fingered them caressingly, and then rushed to the mirror again. “Elinor!” she turned suddenly. “What do you think of them?” “I think they are very beautiful,” the girl answered simply, as she turned slowly to take in the scene. Hugh walked over and placed his arm lovingly about his daughter. “I’ve ordered a string as near like them as possible for you, baby. They promised to have them for me in a few days.” “Oh—no, Daddy—you shouldn’t have done that. I really don’t care for them, for myself.” “Nonsense! Of course you do! Besides, I want my two treasures to always share alike,” he beamed joyously, glancing across at Geraldine. She stood in the center of the room, two bright red spots burning in each cheek, as she tugged frantically at the clasp at the back of her neck. “Why, darling, what is the matter?” He hastened to her.