CHAPTER VIII.
A STRING OF PEARLS "So you go to parties nowadays," said Mrs.Linforth, and Sir John Casson, leaning his back against the wall of the ball-room, puzzled his brains for the name of the lady with the pleasant winning face to whom he had just been introduced.

At first it had seemed to him merely that her hearing was better than his.

The "nowadays," however, showed that it was her memory which had the advantage.

They were apparently old acquaintances; and Sir John belonged to an old-fashioned school which thought it discourtesy to forget even the least memorable of his acquaintances.
"You were not so easily persuaded to decorate a ball-room at Mussoorie," Mrs.Linforth continued.
Sir John smiled, and there was a little bitterness in the smile.
"Ah!" he said, and there was a hint, too, of bitterness in his voice, "I was wanted to decorate ball-rooms then.

So I didn't go.