no doubt, was her purpose—to give Osric Dane a false
impression of her own standing in the club. She would
hesitate at nothing to attract attention: we all know how
she took in poor Professor Foreland."
"She actually makes him give bridge-teas every Thursday,"
Mrs. Leveret piped up.
Laura Glyde struck her hands together. "Why, this is
Thursday, and it's there she's gone, of course; and taken
Osric with her!"
"And they're shrieking over us at this moment," said Mrs.
Ballinger between her teeth.
This possibility seemed too preposterous to be admitted.
"She would hardly dare," said Miss Van Vluyck, "confess
the imposture to Osric Dane."
"I'm not so sure: I thought I saw her make a sign as she
left. If she hadn't made a sign, why should Osric Dane
have rushed out after her?"
"Well, you know, we'd all been telling her how wonder-
ful Xingu was, and she said she wanted to find out more
about it," Mrs. Leveret said, with a tardy impulse of justice
to the absent.
This reminder, far from mitigating the wrath of the other
members, gave it a stronger impetus.
"Yes—and that's exactly what they're both laughing over
now," said Laura Glyde ironically.
Mrs. Plinth stood up and gathered her expensive furs
HYLAND
