These were in the greatest confusion, every one was in a hurry; in the gentlemen's dressing-room there was a great putting on of coats and mufflers and a searching for misplaced gloves, hats and canes.

A base hum of talk rose in the air, bits and ends of conversation being tossed back and forth across the room.

"_You_ haven't seen my hat, have you, Jimmy ?" "Did you meet that girl I was telling you about ?" "Hello, old man! have a good time to-night ?" "Lost your hat?
No, I haven't seen it." "Yes, about half-past ten!" "Well, I told him that myself!" "Ah, you bet it's the man that rustles that gets there." "Come round about four, then." "What's the matter with coming home in _our_ carriage ?" At the doors of the dressing-rooms the ladies joined their escorts, and a great crowd formed in the halls, worming down the stairs and out upon the front steps.

As the first groups reached the open air there was a great cry: "Why, it's pouring rain!" This was taken up and repeated and carried all the way back into the house.

There were exclamations of dismay and annoyance: "Why, it's raining right _down_!" "What _shall_ we do!" Tempers were lost, brothers and sisters quarrelling with each other over the question of umbrellas.