The Winnifred Eaton Digital Archive Edited & Compiled by Jean Lee Cole Assistant Professor, Department of English Loyola College in Maryland Hosted & Maintained by the Electronic Text Center University of Virginia Library

As we approached nearer to this mob we saw that Anna was in evident trouble. As soon as she saw us, a guttural exclamation of appeal escaped her lips. Whenever Anna was unduly moved by emotion or excitement, she invariably forgot the exquisite accent I was painstakingly teaching her, and lapsed into a sort of English version of her mother tongue. Now as we pushed our way through the crowd and came directly to her, she whispered hoarsely in my ear;

"I ban busted!"

"You ban what?" I whispered back, hoarsely also.

"I ban busted. I ban busted on dam corset, and I ban busted on dam dress on dam back."

I know that backless evening gowns are now the vogue, but it was not so in my young days. I realized at once the fatal sensation and disgrace that would befall us should Anna turn around. Jocelyn, the practical and resourceful in all crises, pushed me aside, and hissed:

"Faint! Faint! Faint, you fool! Don't you understand? I say, faint! Faint, you big slob. Fall over. Pretend to die!"