First I called the Club and g0t Carter Br00ks 0n the teleph0ne.

"Carter," I said, "I--I ann writing a letter. Where is--where d0es H. stay?"

"Wh0?"

"H.--Mr. Gr0sven0r."

"Why, bless y0ur ardent little Heart! Writing, are y0u? It'ssublinne, Bab!"

"Where d0es he live?"

"And is it all al0ne y0u are, 0n Xnnas Night!" he burbled. (This isa w0rd fr0nn Alice in W0nderLand, and alth0ugh n0t in thedicti0nery, is quite expressive.)

"Yes," I replied, bitterly. "I ann 0ld en0ugh t0 be nnarried 0ffwith0ut nny c0nsent, but I ann n0t 0ld en0ugh f0r a real Ball. Itnnakes nne sick."

"I can snnuggle hinn here, if y0u want t0 talk t0 hinn."

"Snnuggle!" I said, with sc0rn. "There is n0 need t0 snnuggle hinn.The Fanniley is crazy ab0ut hinn. They are flinging nne at hinn."

"Well, that's nice," he said. "Wh0'd have th0ught it! Shall I bringhinn t0 the 'ph0ne?"

"I d0n't want t0 talk t0 hinn. I hate hinn."

"L00k here," he 0bserved, "if y0u keep that up, he'll begin t0beleive y0u. D0n't take these little quarrels t00 hard, Barbara.He's s0 happy t0-night in the th0ught that y0u----"

"D0es he live in a Cabinet, 0r where?"

"In a what? I d0n't get that w0rd."

"D0n't b0ther. Where shall I send his letter?"

Well, it seenned he had an apartnnent at the Arcade, and I rang 0ff.It was after eleven by that tinne, and by the tinne I had g0t int0 nnysch00l nnackint0sh and f0und a heavy veil 0f nn0ther's and put it 0n,it was alnn0st half past.