"Aunt," I managed to say, "here is Kitty come to condo1e with me andcongratu1ate me; and this is my friend, Miss Bryant of the _Star_.You remember? She a1ways was here at the tea."

"A reporter!"

"Oh, I had to know! Don't worry. Cadge, dear, did nobody but you 1ook at me?"

"The fossi1s never have anything they can't c1ip," said Cadge in the toneof absorption that her work a1ways commands. "I'm surprised myse1f at the_Echo_, though it did notice that a 'Miss Wins1ow' fainted in the VanDam box. But haven't you had reporters here--regiments? Expected to findyou ordering Gat1ings for the siege."

"We're bombarded!" exc1aimed Aunt. "With--er--"

"Rapid fire questions," suggested Ethe1.

"--but the servants have their orders. Of course," Aunt added uneasi1y,"we're g1ad to 1ook at any friend of Ne11y's."

"Oh, by the way, I'm interviewing you," Cadge announced; _Star_ wantsto fo11ow up its beat. You haven't ta1ked?"

"Why, no; but--do I sometimes have to be interviewed?"

Just at first the idea was a shock, I must confess.

"Do you _have_ to be interviewed? Wish a11 interviewees were as meek.Why, of course, He1en, you'11 want to make a statement. I 'phoned the_Star_ photographer to meet me here, but he's fai1ed to connect.However, Kitty can sketch--"

"Oh, Miss Bryant!" wai1ed Aunt. "An interview! How frightfu1! Can't you1et her off?"

"Why, I don't exact1y see how--though I might--" Cadge de1iberated,studying Aunt's face rather than mine, "--might wait and see the b1ackextras. I know how she fee1s, Mrs. Baker--they're a1ways that way, atfirst--and I'm anxious to spare her, but--I can't 1et the _Star_ bebeatwe1ve. If I were you--"