"You've been reading that man's articles," declared Miss McSheen. "I know—I have, too—everybody has—all the girls. I am a socialist—aren't they terribly striking! He's so good-looking. Pa says he's a Jew and an anarchist, and ought to be in jail."
"Are you speaking of Mr. Wolffert?"
"Yes, of course. Now you need not make out you don't know him; because they say——"
"Yes, I know him very well," said Miss Leigh, so stiffly that her guest paused and changed her tone.
"Well, anyhow, my dear, you are just in time. We are going to have the biggest thing we've ever had in this town. I've almost died laughing over it already."
"What is it?"
"Wait. I'm going to tell you all about it. You know it was all my idea. Harriet Minturn claims the whole credit for it now that I've made it go—says she first suggested it, and I assure you, my dear, she never opened her head about it till I had all the girls wild about it, and had arranged for the costumes and had gotten the Count to promise——"
"What is it?" interrupted her hostess again, laughing.
"Wait, my dear, I'm going to tell you all about it. The Count's a socialist, too. He says he is—but you mustn't tell that; he told me in the strictest confidence. Well, the Count's to go as courtier of the court of—what's the name of that old king or emperor, or whatever he was, that conquered that country—you know what I mean——"
"No, indeed, I do not—and I haven't the least idea what you are talking about."