"Oh, Sidney!" She checked herself abruptly.
Lowering his paper, he looked at her in surprise.
"What is it, dear?" he asked.
"Nothing, only—I wouldn't go."
"But I can't get out of it. Dudley made a point of my being there, and I told him to count on me."
"I am sorry," she said quietly. "I don't like Mr. Dudley."
"Neither do I especially. Still, I saw a good deal of him at one time, and, to-night, he wants to get together the old set. It's sort of a farewell spread, for he starts for Nome, next week."
"But you had promised the Andersons."
"Yes, I told Anderson that I would get around in time to mingle my tears with yours over the fifth act. Anderson is such a bore that I couldn't stand a whole evening of him."
"Then I shall certainly refuse to go," Beatrix said decidedly.