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Committee, removed his hat and smiled ingratiatingly and impartially.

“Good morning, ladies, good morning!” he cried heartily. “So busy we are as the bees this morning, eh? That’s fine! Fine! I like to see it!”

He laughed loudly and approached Mrs. Langham with outstretched hand.

“Ah! Mrs. Langham! I know you by your pictures in the paper sometimes. You open bazaars and things. Yes, I can tell your face. How are you?”

He seized Mrs. Langham’s hand and shook it vigorously, unheeding the garment it held.

Mrs. Langham froze. She drew her hand away sharply as she recovered from her first surprise, and looked down upon this alien, unspeakable intruder from her loftiest altitude.

“You will pardon me,” she said, turning away.

The intruder laughed again.

“You don’t know me,” he replied. “I can see that easy. My name’s Ezekiel, Joseph Ezekiel. Here, I’ve got my card here somewhere.”

He fished a card from one of his vest pockets and held it beneath Mrs. Langham’s nose. She glanced at it involuntarily, and her altitude lessened. She turned to him again.

“You are M. Picotarde?” she asked incredulously, thawing rapidly.

Mr. Ezekiel nodded.

“That’s one of my dresses you’ve got on now,” he informed her cheerfully. “I designed it myself. I do all my own designing. No use paying away good money to get something done which yourself can do very well as, eh? Rather smart, ain’t it? Like the cascade effect? Cheap, too———”

“I’m very pleased to meet you, Mr. Ezekiel.” interrupted Mrs. Langham sweetly, disguising her surprise and her repugnance with a mighty effort. “May I introduce my old friends?”

She introduced the old friends to Mr. Ezekiel, who took the opportunity to distribute his business