startled--I was frightened. I said to myself, "What a peculiar
creature!"

"Why?" I questioned faintly.

"Because they are too young, too lovely, too dangerous," she responded
with fierce emphasis. "And as for Rosa in particular--as for Rosa in
particular--if you knew what I knew, what I've seen----"

"What have you seen?" I was bewildered. I began to wish that Sullivan
had not abandoned me to her.

"Perhaps I'm wrong," she laughed.

She laughed, and sat up straight again, and resumed her excellent
imitation of the woman of fashion, while I tried to behave as though I
had found nothing singular in her behavior.

"You know about our reception?" she asked vivaciously in another
moment, playing with her fan.

"I'm afraid I don't."

"Where have you been, Carl?"

"I've been in Edinburgh," I said, "for my final."

"Oh!" she said. "Well, it's been paragraphed in all the papers.
Sullivan is giving a reception in the Gold Rooms of the Grand Babylon
Hotel. Of course, it will be largely theatrical,--Sullivan has to mix