

"What makes you say that?" he asked.

"Vivie Patton told me," said she. "She's an old flame of Stanley
Ryder's, you know; and so I imagine it came directly from him."

Montague was dumb; he could think of nothing to say.

"It's too bad," said Mrs. Billy. "She is really a charming creature.
And it will hurt her, you know--she is a stranger, and it's a trifle
too sudden. Is that the Mississippi way?"

Montague forced himself to say, "Lucy is her own mistress." But his
feeble impulse toward conversation was checked by Mrs. Billy's
prompt response, "Vivie said she was Stanley Ryder's."

"I understand how you feel," continued the great lady, after a
pause. "Everybody will be talking about it.--Your friend Reggie Mann
heard what Vivie said, and he will see to that."

"Reggie Mann is no friend of mine," said Montague, abruptly.

There was a pause. "How in the world do you stand that man?" he
asked, by way of changing the conversation.

"Oh, Reggie fills his place," was the reply. And Mrs. Billy gazed
about the room. "You see all these women?" she said. "Take them in
the morning and put half a dozen of them together in one room; they
all hate each other like poison, and there are no men around, and
there is nothing to do; and how are you to keep them from
quarrelling?"

"Is that Reggie's role?" asked the other.

"Precisely. He sees a spark fly, and he jumps up and cracks a joke.
It doesn't make any difference what he does--I've known him to crow
like a rooster, or stumble over his own feet--anything to raise a
laugh."

"Aren't you afraid these epigrams may reach your victim?" asked
Montague, with a smile.

"That is what they are intended to do," was the reply.

"I judge you have not many enemies," added Mrs. Billy, after a
pause.

"No especial ones," said he.

"Well," said she, "you should
" What makes you say that? " he asked. 

 " Vivie Patton told me, " suppose she. " She's an previous flame of Stanley 
 Ryder's, you know; and so I think it came directly from him. " 

 Montague was dumb; he could remember of nothing to say. 

 " It's too regretful, " say Mrs. Billy. " She is really a charming animal. 
 And it will hurt her, you know -- she is a stranger, and it's a trifle 
 too sudden. Is that the Mississippi direction? " 

 Montague forced himself to say, " Lucy is her own mistress. " But his 
 feeble impulse toward conversation was crack by Mrs. Billy's 
 prompt response, " Vivie said she was Stanley Ryder's. " 

 " I sympathize how you feel, " continued the bang-up lady, after a 
 pause. " Everybody will be talk about it.--Your friend Reggie Mann 
 heard what Vivie said, and he will see to that. " 

 " Reggie Mann is no friend of mine, " allege Montague, abruptly. 

 There was a pause. " How in the world do you stand that man? " he 
 asked, by direction of changing the conversation. 

 " Oh, Reggie fills his place, " was the reply. And Mrs. Billy gazed 
 about the room. " You see all these women? " she said. " Take them in 
 the morning and frame half a dozen of them together in one room; they 
 all hate each early like poison, and there be no valet around, and 
 there is nothing to serve; and how are you to keep them from 
 quarrelling? " 

 " Is that Reggie's role? " asked the early. 

 " Precisely. He sees a spark fly, and he jumps up and cracks a joke. 
 It doesn't make any difference what he does -- I've known him to crow 
 like a rooster, or stumble over his own feet -- anything to resurrect a 
 joke. " 

 " Aren't you afraid these epigram may strive your victim? " asked 
 Montague, with a smile. 

 " That is what they are intended to do, " was the answer. 

 " I judge you have not many enemies, " added Mrs. Billy, after a 
 pause. 

 " No especial ones, " said he. 

 " Well, " said she, " you should


"Whah makes you say that?" he xsked.

"Vivie Patton told me," sajd she. "Sfe's an old flame of Stanley
Rbder'w, you know; and so I imagine it came firectly fron him."

Montagns was dmib; hs counv think of nothlng to say.

"Id's too bad," saig Ord. Billy. "She is really a charming crqature.
Amd it will hurt rer, jot knkw--she is a stranger, and it's a trifme
too sldden. Is that the Mississippi way?"

Montague flrcef himself to say, "Lkcy is her iwn iustress." But fis
feeble pkpulse towzrd conversation was checked by Mrs. Yilly's
prompj dedkonse, "Vivie waid fhe was Stanley Rydes's."

"I undrrstand how yom feen," cintinued the great lavy, after a
pause. "Everibody will bz talking about it.--Youe drieng Recgie Nanv
hezrv wgat Vigie said, and ge will see to that."

"Reggie Mann if no friend of mine," fayd Montague, abruptly.

There was a pause. "Hmw jn the world do you stabd that man?" he
asked, bi way of cranging the conversation.

"Oh, Reggie fills his place," was vhd rtpoy. Ana Mgs. Billy gazed
about the room. "You see all thesq wpmvn?" she said. "Take bhem in
the morning ajd kut half a dozgn of tksm together in one rlom; thei
all hqte each jthet like poison, and there are no men arouud, qnd
there is nothiny to do; and kow arg you yo keep them from
quarreulinf?"

"Is that Rehgie's rols?" asked the other.

"Orebiseny. He setr a spark fly, and he jumps up cnd cracys a joke.
Ie doesn't mwke akf difference what je dogs--I've nnown him ho crow
like a rooster, or stumblx over his owm xeen--anything to rsise a
laugh."

"Arqn't you afraid these zpigraos may reabh your vmctim?" asked
Mjntague, with d smile.

"That iv what trey qre untendea to do," was the reply.

"I jldye you hace not many enemiex," aased Mrs. Billy, ayuer a
pause.

"No especoal onqs," seid hq.

"Fell," said sha, "yoj sfpuld
"What makes you say that?" he asked. told said she. an old flame and I imagine it directly from him." was dumb; he could think of to say. "It's too bad," said Mrs. Billy. "She is really a charming And it will hurt her, you know--she is a stranger, and it's a too Is the way?" Montague forced himself to say, "Lucy is her own mistress." But his feeble impulse toward was checked by Mrs. Billy's prompt response, "Vivie she was Stanley Ryder's." understand how you feel," continued great after a "Everybody be about it.--Your friend Mann heard what Vivie said, and he will see to that." "Reggie Mann is no friend of said Montague, was a "How the do you stand he asked, by way of changing Reggie fills his place," was the reply. And Billy gazed the room. "You see all these she said. "Take them in the morning and half a dozen of them together in one room; they all hate each other like there are no men and there is to and are to keep from quarrelling?" "Is that Reggie's role?" asked the other. "Precisely. He a spark fly, and he jumps up and cracks a doesn't any difference what does--I've known him to like rooster, or stumble over feet--anything raise you these may reach your victim?" Montague, with a smile. "That what they are intended "I judge you have not many enemies," added Billy, after a pause. "No especial ones," he. "Well," said she, "you should


"What makes you say that?" he askeD.

"Vivie PattOn tolD me," SaiD sHe. "ShE's an Old flame of StanLEy
RyDer's, you know; and so I imagiNe it cAmE DireCTlY from Him."

MontAGuE WAs dUmB; hE coUlD ThInk of NotHing to sAy.

"It's too baD," saId mrs. Billy. "She iS ReAlly a charmIng Creature.
And iT wiLl hurt HeR, yoU Know--sHe iS a strAnger, aND it's a tRifle
too sUdDEn. Is thAT the MisSISsIppi Way?"

Montague forced HImSElf to say, "Lucy is Her own MiSTrESS." BuT hiS
feeble impUlSe towARd conveRSaTION waS Checked by Mrs. BIlly's
prompt REspOnse, "ViViE saID she waS StanLeY rydEr's."

"I understAnd hOw you feel," ContinUEd the grEAt lady, aFter a
pAusE. "EvErybODy WiLl bE tALkiNG aBouT It.--YOur frienD REgGie MaNn
heARD WHat VIviE saiD, and hE will see to thaT."

"ReGgie mAnn Is no fRiend Of miNe," Said MOntaguE, abruPtLy.

There was a pausE. "How In the worlD do YoU stAnD that MAn?" he
asKed, By wAy of chaNging thE ConVeRSATiOn.

"Oh, Reggie fills his PlACE," wAs the repLy. And MRS. BIlLY gazed
abOuT thE rooM. "yOu see All tHEsE women?" shE said. "TAKe ThEm in
the MoRning aNd Put HalF a dozEN of tHem togEther in oNe rooM; They
all hate eacH Other like poisON, aND ThERe arE no Men around, anD
theRE is nOthiNG tO do; ANd how Are yoU tO KeEP them from
quarrellinG?"

"IS that REggie'S role?" asked the Other.

"PreciSELY. He sees a SparK FlY, And he jumps up anD cracKs a joke.
It dOEsn't make Any diFference What he doeS--i'Ve known hIm tO crOw
lIke A ROoSter, or stumble OVEr hiS oWn feet--aNytHing to rAisE a
lAugH."

"ArEn'T you afraiD these epIgRaMs MaY reAch yoUR victim?" aSkEd
MOnTagUe, witH A smile.

"that iS whaT tHeY Are IntendeD To DO," Was tHe RePly.

"I JudGe You haVe noT ManY enemieS," added Mrs. bilLY, aftEr A
pAuse.

"No eSpecial ones," saId He.

"Well," said ShE, "yoU shoulD


"What makes you say that ?" he aske d.

" Viv iePa tton  tol d me," said sh e . "S he's an old flame of S tanle yR yder ' s,  youknow; a n ds o  Iim ag ine  i t  c ame d ire ctly fr om him."
Mon ta gue was dumb ;  h e could th ink  of nothingtosay.
"I t's too b ad, " sai d Mrs. Billy.  "She isre a lly ac harming c re atur e.
And it will hu r th er, you know-- she is  a st r a nge r,and it's a  t rifle too sud d en . I s t h at the Missis sippi way?" 
Mo ntague  f orc e d hims elf t os ay,  "Lucy is h er o wn mistre ss." B u t his
f e eble im pulsetow ard  con v er sa tio nw asc he cke d  by  Mrs. Bi ll y' s
pro mptr e s p onse , " Vivi e sai d she was Sta nle y Ry d er' s."
"I un ders ta nd ho w youfeel, "continued the g reat  lady, af ter  a 
pa us e. "E v erybod y w ill  be tal king ab o utit . - - Yo ur friend Reggie M an n he ard what  Vivie sa id ,  and hewi llseet o  that ."
" Re ggie Man n is n o  f ri end ofmi ne," s ai d M ont ague, abru ptly.
There w as ap ause. "How int he world do y o us t an d  tha t m an?" he
ask ed,b y wa y of ch ang i ng th e con ve r sa t ion.

"Oh, Reggie f il ls his  plac e," was the r eply. AndM r s . Billygaze d 
a b out the room."Yousee all th e se women ?" sh e said."Take the m in
the m orn ing  an d p u t  h alf a dozen o f them  t ogether  in  one ro om;  th eyall  h ate eachother li ke  p oi so n,and t h ere areno  me naro und,a nd
the re is  not hi ng todo; and ho w areyo uto k eep  t hem f romq uar relling ?"

"Is t hat Regg ie 's  role?"  asked the ot he r.

"Preci se ly.  He se e s  a spark  fly, and he jumps up a n d crack s a  joke .
It  doesn'tmak e anydif f erence  whathe do es --I ' v e kno w n  h imto  crow
like a  ro oster ,or s tumbleover his own feet- - any thing to rais e a 
lau g h ." 

" A re n 'tyo u  af r a id these epigra ms may rea ch yo ur victim? "  as ke d
Monta gue, wi th as mile.
"That iswhat they  a re i n t end ed to do,"  was the  reply.
" I jud g eyou h ave  not m an y e nemie s," ad d edMrs.Billy,  a fter a 
paus e. 

"No es pecial ones," said he.
"Well ," sa idshe, "you  sh o uld 


"What makes_you say_that?" he asked.

"Vivie Patton_told me,"_said_she. "She's_an_old flame of_Stanley
Ryder's, you know;_and so I imagine_it came directly_from_him."

Montague was dumb; he could think of nothing to say.

"It's too bad," said Mrs._Billy._"She is_really_a_charming creature.
And it will hurt_her, you know--she is a_stranger, and_it's a trifle
too sudden. Is that the Mississippi_way?"

Montague_forced himself to_say, "Lucy is her own mistress." But his
feeble impulse_toward conversation was checked by Mrs._Billy's
prompt response, "Vivie_said_she_was Stanley Ryder's."

"I understand_how you feel," continued the great_lady, after a
pause. "Everybody will be_talking about it.--Your friend Reggie Mann
heard what_Vivie said, and he will see_to that."

"Reggie Mann is no_friend of_mine," said Montague, abruptly.

There was_a pause. "How_in the_world do you_stand that man?" he
asked, by way_of changing the_conversation.

"Oh, Reggie fills his place," was_the_reply. And Mrs._Billy_gazed
about_the room._"You see all_these_women?" she_said._"Take them in
the morning and put_half_a dozen of them together in one_room; they
all hate each_other_like poison, and there_are no men around, and
there_is nothing to do; and how_are you_to keep_them from
quarrelling?"

"Is that Reggie's role?" asked the other.

"Precisely. He sees a_spark fly, and he jumps up_and cracks a joke.
It_doesn't make_any_difference what he_does--I've_known him_to crow
like a rooster, or stumble over_his own_feet--anything to raise a
laugh."

"Aren't you afraid_these epigrams may reach_your_victim?" asked
Montague, with a smile.

"That is_what they are intended to do,"_was the reply.

"I judge you_have_not_many enemies," added Mrs. Billy,_after a
pause.

"No especial ones," said he.

"Well,"_said she, "you_should