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At the age of twenty-six one cannot claim to have attained to the position of a person of experience Nevertheless, the knowledge of human nature accumulated in that brief period sufficed tothe evening, I should receive a visit from Miss Oman And circumstances justified my confidence; for the clock yet stood at two ery door heralded her arrival

"I happened to be passing," she explained, and I forbore to sht as well drop in and hear what you wanted to ask me about"

She seated herself in the patients' chair and, laying a bundle of newspapers on the table, glared at me expectantly

"Thank you, Miss Oood of you to look in on ive you all this trouble about such a trifling matter"

She rapped her knuckles impatiently on the table

"Never mind about the trouble," she exclaimed tartly "What--is--it--that--you--want--to--ask--me about?"

I stated my difficulties in respect of the supper-party, and, as I proceeded, an expression of disgust and disappointment spread over her countenance "I don't see why you need have been so lumly

"I didn't mean to be mysterious; I was only anxious not to make a mess of the affair It's all very fine to assureat virtue in a really good feed, especially when low-living and high-thinking have been the order of the day"

"Coarsely put," said Miss Oman, "but perfectly true"

"Very well Now, if I leave the ement to Mrs Gummer, she will probably provide a tepid Irish steith flakes of congealed fat on it, and a plastic suet-pudding or soetting it ready So I thought of having a cold spread and getting the things in fro enors came down from heaven," said Miss Oman

"No, I suppose they won't But you knohat I o for the raw materials of conviviality?"

Miss Oe the whole business," was her final verdict

This was precisely what I had wanted, and I accepted thankfully, regardless of the feelings of Mrs Gummer I handed her two pounds, and, after soance, she bestowed them in her purse; a process that occupied time, since that receptacle, besides and ti of draper's samples, ends of tape, a card of linen buttons, another of hooks and eyes, a lump of beeswax, a rat-eaten stuotten As she closed the purse at the is she looked at me severely and pursed up her lips