We set out, I in my rented clothes, and he in his full dress uniform, which he had no right to wear. On turning the corner we hailed a cab and had the driver head toward Mr. Ostrand's. We drove swiftly up the driveway, alighted, and presented our cards of admission. Ten minutes later found us in the reception hall looking casually about, smiling and talking pleasantly to one another. I remarked that it was very strange that our friends were not there to receive us after our having received such a cordial invitation. Anderson ventured, "Well, indeed, it is embarrassing for us that our friends have neglected us so shamefully."

We saw that we were not making any progress standing there so we entered the big ball room, which was one lovely sight. The floral decorations were beautiful and the music rendered by the orchestra was perfect. The ball room was filled with beautiful women, who wore handsome gowns and precious jewels. We rubbed shoulders with the best of them and my chance was not long in coming. We were rather to the side of the big folding doors leading to the reception hall. A couple of young ladies nearby were apparently engaged in some interesting topic of conversation. They had only been there a few moments when a young fellow walked up to them and addressing the brunette, said "Why, how do you do, Miss Miles, how are you?" She greeted him cordially and he began to inquire about her people back in Iowa; how long she was going to be in Chicago, and a number of other questions. I overheard the whole conversation so I whispered to Anderson, "Well, old man, this is my chance, lie low and watch your Uncle Dudley."

I left his side and an instant later I was standing face to face with the young lady whose name was Miles. Approaching her, I extended my hand in a most familiar manner, and at the same time said, "Why, Miss Miles, how are you, how are your folks in Iowa? What a delightful time we had at the last dance."

She looked at me in a doubtful sort of way and replied, "I'm sorry, but I don't believe I remember you."

"Condon," I volunteered, and then she smiled sweetly and said, "Oh, yes, certainly I remember you, Mr. Condon, how stupid of me to have forgotten."

I pretended I had met her out in Iowa at a dance and she never knew the difference or even suspected me in the least. She introduced me to the blonde with whom she had been conversing and shortly afterward I motioned Anderson over to where we were standing and presented him as my young friend who had recently graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy and was spending only a few days in Chicago awaiting his assignment to a ship.

Well, we met these two girls and they in turn introduced us to others, and before we departed we had sipped and chatted and danced with many. We avoided the hostess of the evening very cleverly, and as luck would have it none of our new acquaintances were so rude as to inquire who invited us.

There was one little incident of the evening which was the biggest piece of nerve I have ever seen displayed on any occasion. It was after the fifth dance that we spied the two Coleridge girls sitting over beneath some palms in the rear of the ball room. Anderson walked over to where they were, and introducing himself, he struck up a conversation with these fair ones of our own household. They certainly did stare at that young cadet and when he signaled me over, and in a most diplomatic manner, "May I present Mr. Condon?" the girls appeared as though they knew not what to say.

Two days later Mrs. Coleridge overheard a conversation between her daughter Aileen and Anderson. He was lovemaking, and she said, "O, Will, I knew all the time that you would fulfill my dream."

During the three weeks we had been there this devil Anderson had been making eyes at "Miss Aileen," as the servants spoke of her, and it ended as most stories do; they saw, he loved, and she conquered. On hearing this astounding conversation, Mrs. Coleridge promptly dismissed us from service.