am very often sick of seeing them. Here is something fresh,--and not
only unlike, but so much more lovely. I quite acknowledge that I may
be jealous, but no one can say that I am spiteful. I wish that some
republican Adonis or Apollo would crop up,--so that we might have our
turn. But I don't think the republican gentlemen are equal to the
republican ladies. Do you, Lord Silverbridge?"

"I haven't thought about it."

"Mr. Sprottle for instance."

"I have not the pleasure of knowing Mr. Sprottle."

"Now we've been round the haycocks, and really, Lord Silverbridge, I
don't think we have gained much by it. Those forced marches never do
any good." And so they parted.

He was thinking with a bitter spirit of the ill-result of his
morning's work when he again found himself close to Miss Boncassen
in the crowd of departing people on the terrace. "Mind you keep
your word," she said. And then she turned to her father. "Lord
Silverbridge has promised to call."

"Mrs. Boncassen will be delighted to make his acquaintance."

He got into his cab and was driven off towards Richmond. As he went
he began to think of the two young women with whom he had passed
his morning. Mabel had certainly behaved badly to him. Even if
she suspected nothing of his object, did she not owe it to their
friendship to be more courteous to him than she had been? And if she
suspected that object, should she not at any rate have given him the
opportunity?

Or could it be that she was really jealous of the American girl?
No;--that idea he rejected instantly. It was not compatible with the
innate modesty of his disposition. But no doubt the American girl was
very lovely. Merely as a thing to be looked at she was superior to
Mabel. He did feel that as to mere personal beauty she was in truth
superior to anything he had ever seen before. And she was clever
too;--and good-humoured;--whereas Mabel had been both ill-natured and
unpleasant.

CHAPTER XXIX

The Lovers Meet

Lord Silverbridge found his sister alone. "I particularly want you,"
said he, "to come and call on Mabel Grex. She wishes to know you, and
I am sure you would like her."

"But I haven't been out anywhere yet," she said. "I don't feel as
though I wanted to go anywhere."

Nevertheless she was very anxious to know Lady Mabel Grex, of whom
she had heard much. A girl if she has had a former love passage says
nothing of it to her new lover; but a man is not so reticent. Frank
Tr