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 he got no farther than the door, where he paused with a large plate of chicken croquettes in one hand and a bowl of salad in the other.

"Won't you pass the croquettes, Mr. Hart?" asked Mrs. Bliss, glancing up kindly.

Looking down rather hopelessly at the cup of tea that he had been blowing to cool a little, Hart stepped forward.

"Let me take your cup," said Miss Hollingsworth, readily, "then you can come back to me and get it, or here, put it on the corner of the mantelpiece, and I will save your seat for you."

Hart took the plate of croquettes in one hand and the bowl of salad in the other.

Hollingsworth had lifted himself into the window seat on the other side of the girl with the banjo. As Hart approached he said something that caused the girl to stop her playing and look up curiously.

"Won't you have some of this, Miss?" began Hart, politely, and then he saw for the first time that no plates had been handed around. Bliss at this moment came to his rescue.

"Hold on, old man," he said; "wait till I get the platters."

Hart stood there awkwardly, not knowing