"That's a clever little party! But she's too big in the eye, and too small in the bone--wants plenty of new milk, and new-laid eggs, and fresh air, and not so much piano-thumping, does that.

Clever--clever--but unnatural, Fullaway!--they mustn't let her do too much at that.

Well, now I suppose we shall see the shoe-buckle lady." The packed audience evidently supposed the same thing.

Over it--the infant prodigy having received her meed of applause and bobbed herself awkwardly out of sight--had come that atmosphere of expectancy which invariably heralds the appearance of the great figure on any similar occasion.

It needed no special intuition on Allerdyke's part to know that all these people were itching to show their fondness for Zelie de Longarde by clapping their hands, waving their program, and otherwise manifesting their delight at once more seeing a prime favourite.