The Press., 1893-06-22
dear mother would not have liked t.

| Clara" said he.
 For moment the conspiracy was upon the point of collapsing. There was something in. the gentleness of his re- buke and in his appeal to her mother which brought the tears to her eyes, and in another instant she would have been kneeling beside him with everything confessed, when the door1Aew open and her sister Ida came bounding into the room. She wore 8 short gray skirt, like that of Mrs. Westmacott, and she held it up in each hand and ,danled about among the furniture. ,.. ''I feel quite the Gaiety gRA" she cried. 'sHow delicious it must be to be upon the stage! You can't think how nice this dress is, papa. One feels so free in it. And isn't Clara charming?"
 "Go to your room this instant and take it offp' thundered the doctor "I call it highly improper, and no daughter of mine shall wear it.'
 ePapa! Improper! Why it is the ex- act model of Mrs. Westmacott's."
 ''I say it is improper. And yours also, Clara. Your conduct is really outra- geous You drive me out of the house. am going to my club in town. I have no comfort or peace of mind in my own house. will stand it no longer. may be late tonight. I shall go to the British medical meeting. But when l return I shall hope to find that you have recon sidered your conduct, and that you have shaken yourself clear of the pernicious influences which have recently made such an alteration in your conduct" He seized his hat. slammed the dining room door, and few minutes later they heard the crash of the big front gate.
 "Victory, Clara, victoryV' cried Ida, still pirouetting around the furniture. ssDid you hear what he said? Pernicious influences! Don't you understand, Clara! Why do you sit there so pale and glumi Why don't you get up and dancer"
 "Oh, shall be so glad when it is over, Ida. do hate to give him pain. Surely he has learned now that it is very un- pleasant to spend ones life with reform ers."
 sHe has almost learned it, Clara. Just one more little lesson. We must not risk all at this last moment"
 "What would you do, Ida? Oh, don't do anything too dreadful. I feel that we have gone too far already"
 "Oh, we can do it very nicely. You see we are both engaged, and that makes it very easy. Harold will do what you ask him, especially as you have told him the reason why, and my Charles will do it without even wanting to know the reason. Now you know what Mrs. Westmacott thinks about the reserve of young ladies. Mere prudery, affecta- tion and relic of the dark ages of the zenana. Those were her words, were they not?'
 "What, then?"
 "Well, now we must put it in practice. We are reducing all her other views to practice, and we must not shirk this one."
 "But what would you do? Oh, don't look so wicked, Idal You look like some evil little fairy, with your golden hair and mischievous eyes. know that you are going to propose something dreadful"
 "We must give little supper tonight.
 "We? A supperp'
 'Why not? Young gentlemen give suppers. Why not young ladies?"
 But whom shall we invite?"
 "Why, Harold and Charles, of course.
 And the admiral and Mrs. Hay Den. ver?"
 "Oh, no. That would be very old fashioned We must keep up with the times, Clara"
 "But what can we give them for sup perY' ..-...
 "Oh, something with ni:e, fast, rol licking. late at night kind of flavor to it Let me see! Champagne, of course-and oysters. Oysters will do. In the novels all the naughty people take champagne and oysters. Besides, they won't need any cooking. How is your pocket mon. ey, Clara?
 II have three pounds"
 "I have one. Four pounds. Ihave nc idea how much champagne costs Have youT ... ~ .
 ''Not the slightest"
 "How many oysters does man eat?''
 "I can't imagine"
 s'Pll write and ask Charles. No, won't. I'll ask Jane. Ring for her, Clara. She has been 8 cook and is sure to know"
 Jane, on being cross questioned, refused to commit herself beyond the statement that it depended upon the gentleman and also upon the oysters. The united experience of the kitchen, however, tes- tified that three dozen was fair pro- vision.
 "Then we shall have eight dozen alto. gether," said Ida, jotting down all her requirements upon a sheet of paper. "And two pints of champagne. And some brown bread and vinegar and pep per. That's all, I think. It is not so very difficult to give supper after all, is it, Clarar' --
 'I don't like it, Ida. It seems to me to be so very indeEcate." -.- l "But it is needed to cinch the matter. No, no, there is no drawing back now, Clara, or we shall ruin everything. Papa Is sure to come back with the 9:46.. He will reach the door at 10. We must have everything ready for him. Now, just sit down at once and ask Harold to come at 9 o'clock, and shall do the same to ] Charles"
 The two invitations were dispatched, received and accepted. Harold was already confdant, and he understood rTYDDnTn1Nr,N Du nKvcTrnv