"I dealt. No trumps."

"Right off, like that!" Nancy laughed. But Mrs. Billings said:

"No--but AREN'T they quiet? And they were making such a noise! You
know they were clapping and laughing so, a few minutes ago!"

"They must have finished," Mrs. Fielding said, looking at her hand
quizzically. "You said no trump. Partner, let's try two spades!"

"Billy was going to come in to tell me," persisted Mrs. Billings,
"Just wait a minute--!" And leaning back in her chair, she called
toward the tea-room. "Steward; will you send one of the boys down
to ask how the tennis went? Tell Mr. Billings I want to know how
it went!"

The steward came deferentially forward.

"I believe they didn't finish their game, Mrs. Billings. The fire-
-you know. I think all the gentlemen went to the fire--"

"Where is there a fire!" demanded two or three voices. Nancy's
surprised eyes went from the steward's face to Mrs. Biggerstaff's,
and some instinct acted long before her fear could act, and she
felt her soul grow sick within her.

"Where is it?" she asked, with a thickening throat, and then
suspiciously and fearfully. "Ruth, WHERE WAS IT?" And even while
she asked, she said to herself, with a wild hurry and flutter of