“I'm sorry to bother you, Mrs. Dyckman,” Charity began, “but I've got to throw myself on your mercy. A few of us are getting up a new stunt for the settlement-work fund. It is to be rather elaborate and ought to make a lot of money. It is to represent a day in the life of a New York Bud. You can have your choice of several roles, and I hope you will lend us a hand.” Kedzie had heard of this project and she had gnawed her bitter heart in a chagrin of yearning to take part in it. She had not been invited, and she had blenched every time she thought of it. She was so much relieved at being asked that she almost forgave Charity for her benevolence. She stammered: “It's awfully decent of you to ask me. I'll do my bit with the greatest of pleasure.” She rather regretted those last five words. They were a bit _Nimrimmy._ Charity sketched the program for her. “The Bud is discovered in bed. A street piano wakes her. There is to be a dance to a hurdy-gurdy. Then the Bud has breakfast. It is served by a dancing maid and butler. Tom Duane is to be the butler. You could be--no, you wouldn't fancy the maid, I imagine.” Kedzie did not fancy the maid. Charity went on: “The girl dresses and goes to a rehearsal of the Junior League. That's to be a ballet of harlequins and columbines. She goes from there to her dressmaker's. I am to play the dressmaker. I have my _mannequins,_ and you might want to play one of those and wear the latest thing--or you could be one of the customers. You can think it over. “Then the girl is seen reading a magazine and there is a dance of cover girls. If you have any favorite illustrator you could be one of his types. “Next the Bud goes to an art exhibition. This year Zuloaga is the craze, and several of his canvases will come to life. Do you care for Zuloaga?” “Immensely, but--” Kedzie said, wondering just what Zuloaga did to his canvases. She had seen a cubist exhibition that gave her a headache, and she thought it might have something to do with Zulus. Charity ran on: “After dinner the Bud goes to the theater and sees a pantomime and a series of ballets, dolls of the nations--Chinese, Polish, also nursery characters. You could select something in one of those dances, perhaps. “And last of all there is a chimney-sweeps' dance as the worn-out Bud crawls into bed. If none of these suit you we'd be glad to have any suggestion that occurs to you. Of course, a girl of to-day does a thousand more things than I've mentioned. But the main thing is, we want you to help us out. “You are--if you'll forgive me for slapping you in the face with a bouquet--you are exquisitely beautiful and I know that you dance exquisitely.” “How do you know that?” Kedzie asked, rashly. “I saw you once as a--” Charity paused, seeing the red run across Kedzie's face. She had stumbled into Kedzie's past again, and Kedzie's resentment braced her hurt pride.