oming of Mr. Pett, had been passing thetime in improving with strenuous exercise his already impressivephysique. If Mrs. Pett's guests had been less no

his labours, he perceived that he had the pleasureof the company of little Ogden F

ou doing?" en

gloved fist ove

ndition, the spectacle of the bulbousstripling was a constant offence to him. Ogden, in pursuance ofhis invariable custom on the days when Mrs. Pett entertained, hadbeen lur

morsel of jam from his right

u want to keep in condition?"Jerry

Huh?""Beat it!""Huh?" Much pastry s

y."The annoyed pugilist sat down an

he addeddispassionately. "What did you do to it to make it like that?"Mr. Mitchell shifted restlessly o

eculiar countenance. Itwas not that he looked on Lizzie Murphy, herself no LillianRussell, as an accepted authority on the subject of facialbeauty; but he was aware that in this instance she spoke notwithout

n with finality. He puthis hand in his trouser-pocket and pulled out a stick

plained. "Mary gave it to me on the stairs. Mary thinks you'vea

" exclaimed the ex

his grievanceagainst her that his Maggie, alias Celestine, Mrs. Pett's maid,had formed an enthusiastic friendship with her. He had noevidence to go on, but he suspected Mary of using her influencewith Celestine to urge the suit of his leading rival for thelatter's hand, Biggs the chauffeur. He disliked Mary intensely,even on general grounds. Ogden's revelation added fuel to hisaversion. For a moment h

lank in the platform of his educationwould be to invite her wrath as nothing else could. He che

ns of the cream-puff, eyed

that for?"Mr. Mitche

ed."Mr. Mitchell paid no heed. Ogden, after a moment's sil

or altering the shape of noses. You strap it on when yougo to bed. You ough

ice about the place,

She said she had to laugh every time she saw it."The skipping-rope faltered in its sweep, caught in the skipper'slegs, and sent him staggering

Mitchell was not a weak man, but he had been sorely tried. Theannoyance of Ogden's presence and conversation had sapped hisself-restraint, as dripping water will wear away a rock. A sho

the true sense of theword, so long postponed, had begun; and with it that avalanche ofsound which, rolling do

of the snow-topped Alps,Mrs. Pett finished with a fine burst of speed along the passageon the top fl