all of you so petty, so mean, that you welcome the chance
of spattering with mud a man who is so infinitely above you. You've not
given him a chance to defend himself.'

Bobbie turned very pale. Lucy had never spoken to him in such a way
before, and wrath flamed up in his heart, wrath mixed with hopeless
love. He paused for a moment to command himself.

'You don't know apparently that interviewers went to him from the
evening papers, and he refused to speak.'

'He has never consented to be interviewed. Why should you expect him now
to break his rule?'

Bobbie was about to answer, when a sudden look of dismay on Lady
Kelsey's face stopped him. He turned round and saw MacKenzie standing at
the door. He came forward with a smile, holding out his hand, and
addressed himself to Lady Kelsey.

'I thought I should find you here,' he said.

He was perfectly collected. He glanced around the room with a smile of
quiet amusement. A certain embarrassment seized the little party, and
Lady Kelsey, at she shook hands with him, was at a loss for words.

'How do you do?' she faltered. 'We've just been talking of you.'

'Really?'

The twinkle in his eyes caused her to lose the remainder of her
self-possession, and she turned scarlet.

'It's so late, we were afraid you wouldn't come. I should have been
dreadfully disappointed.'

'It's very kind of you to say so. I've been at the _Travellers_, reading
various appreciations of my character.'

A hurried look of alarm crossed Lady Kelsey's good-tempered face.

'Oh, I heard there was something about you in the papers,' she answered.

'There's a good deal. I really had no idea the world was so interested
in me.'

'It's charming of you to come here to-night,' the good lady smiled,
beginning to feel more at ease. 'I'm sure you hate dances.'

'Oh, no, they interest me enormously. I remember, an African king once
gave a dance in my honour. Four thousand warriors in war-paint. I assure
you it was a most impressive sight.'

'My dear fellow,' Dick chuckled, 'if paint is the attraction, you really
need not go much further than Mayfair.'

The scene amused him. He was deeply interested in Alec's attitude, for
he knew him well enough to be convinced that his discreet gaiety was
entirely assumed. It was impossible to tell by it what course he meant
to adopt; and at the same time there was about him a greater
unapproachableness, which warned all and sundry that it would be wiser
to at