appearin' in a new character. It's an awful funny song, evidently. See
how they're laughin'. Be quiet, an' let's listen.'

Gladys held her peace, and sank into the seat beside Liz, and looked
about her in a kind of horrified wonder.

It was a large place, with a gallery opposite the stage. The seats in
the body of the hall were not set very closely together, and the
audience could move freely about. It was very full; a great many young
men, well-dressed, and even gentlemanly-looking in outward appearance at
least; the majority were smoking. The women present were mostly
young--many of them mere girls, and there was a great deal of talking
and bantering going on between them and the young men.

Those in the gallery were evidently of the poorer class, and they
accompanied the chorus of the song with a vigorous stamping of feet and
whistling accompaniment. When Mademoiselle Frivol had concluded her
performance with a little dance which brought down the house, there was
a short interval, and presently some young men sauntered up to the three
girls, and bade them good-evening in an easy, familiar way, which made
the colour leap to the cheek of Gladys, though she did not know why. She
knew nothing about young men, and had no experience to enable her to
discern the fine shades of their demeanour towards women; but that
innate delicacy which is the safeguard and the unfailing monitor of
every woman until she wilfully throws it away for ever, told the
pure-minded girl that something was amiss, and that it was no place for
her.

'Who's your chum, old girl?' asked a gorgeous youth, who wore an
imitation diamond breastpin and finger-ring. 'Give us an introduction,