430 ANGEL PAVEMENT

ing, embracing and kissing. Something-insky kissed the
little girl in the fur-trimmed jacket and the secretary
girl from the legation, and then kissed Miss Matfield's
hand fifteen times while the girl in the fur-trimmed coat,
who had suddenly burst into tears, kissed her on the
cheek. Mr. Golspie shook her by the hand, then gave
her a big hug. It was at this moment that the only un-
pleasant event of the evening occurred. Once or twice
before, Miss Matfield had had to escape from a tall
bleary-eyed man, one of the very few Englishmen there,
who was rather drunk and had been bant on dancing
with her. Now he suddenly lurched into the middle of
their little group, murmuring something about a happy
New Year, and tried to embrace her. Mr. Golspie, how-
ever, stepped forward smartly, and with one shove of
his heavy shoulder sent the man reeling back,

"I think I'd better go now," she said to Mr. Golspie.
'Tm terribly late as it is."

"All right. I'll come with you." Taking no notice of
the unpleasant fellow, who was mumbling threats just
behind them, he took her by the arm, marched her
through the crowd to shake hands with the host and
hostess, and then led her towards the door. There they
separated to look for their things. When Miss Matfield
returned to the little entrance hall of the studio, the
unpleasant man was there. Fortunately, Mr. Golspie
appeared, too.

"Now wha's the idea, eh?" said the unpleasant one,
thickly and truculently to Mr. Golspie, trying to put a
hand on his shoulder.

"The idea is—you go home to bed," replied Mr.
Golspie, giving him one contemptuous glance.

"Home to bedl" the other sneered. "T-t-t-t-t-talk like