"I'll bet you another half-crown you don't get him there, let alone her!"
"Done vith you, Kitty Vindus!" cried Miss Levey excitedly.
Here Mr. Mackie interposed. "Who's that? Jeffries? He can come in his ulster as Boaz—heu, how Ruthless! (Beshrew me, but have I not a pretty wit?)"
"He's got that new brown suit to come in—or did he get it second-hand, Archie?" asked Kitty.
"New," quoth Archie authoritatively. "Allworthy's, in Cheapside. Two ten."
"I nearly died when he turned up without that old ulster!"
"Vasn't it screaming?" simpered Miss Levey. "No, don't, Archie!" (Young Merridew was pulling out the frill of her jabot.)
"Do tell us exactly what he said when you congratulated him on his engagement, Evie!" said Kitty Windus, turning to Evie Soames.
The girl coloured a little. In common fairness Louie had to acquit her of full participation in the joke of Mr. Jeffries and his unknown fiancée. Louie had learned that it had been in order to congratulate Mr. Jeffries on this supposed engagement that she had followed Mr. Jeffries into the library on that Friday evening before her departure for the week-end to Guildford. She thought little more of her on that account. In being too ready with apologies and congratulations Evie Soames merely showed the vulgarity of the rest of the place.
"No, do let's get on with business," Kitty Windus broke in. "I vote for ordinary dress."