At this point the production of her treasured volume gave
Mrs. Leveret, for a moment, the unusual experience of
occupying the centre front; but she was not able to hold
it long, for Appropriate Allusions contained no mention of
Xingu.
"Oh, that's not the kind of thing we want!" exclaimed Miss
Van Vluyck. She cast a disparaging glance over Mrs. Ball-
inger's assortment of literature, and added impatiently:
"Haven't you any useful books?"
"Of course I have," replied Mrs. Ballinger indignantly; "I
keep them in my husband's dressing-room."
From this region, after some difficulty and delay, the par-
lour-maid produced the W–Z volume of an Encyclopædia
and, in deference to the fact that the demand for it had
come from Miss Van Vluyck, laid the ponderous tome
before her.
There was a moment of painful suspense while Miss Van
Vluyck rubbed her spectacles, adjusted them, and turned
to Z; and a murmur of surprise when she said: "It isn't
here."
"I suppose," said Mrs. Plinth, "it's not fit to be put in a
book of reference."
"Oh, nonsense!" exclaimed Mrs. Ballinger. "Try X."
Miss Van Vluyck turned back through the volume, peering
short-sightedly up and down the pages, till she came to
a stop and remained motionless, like a dog on a point.
HYLAND
