le the two were talking
together, and then rather brusquely--and to the disgust of Holmes, who
was discoursing eagerly with pretty Mabel Falkner--he reminded his aunt
that they were due to call at So-and-So's, and were far behind their
time.

"Ah, yes, I was forgetting. Well, good-bye, Mr. Stanninghame. I hope you
will come and see us. It is nothing of a walk out to Booyseus, and
besides, there are several omnibuses in the course of the day. Mind you
come too, Mr. Holmes. Good-bye."

And the four resumed their way, and so did our two.

"Jolly, genial old party that Mrs. Falkner," pronounced Holmes, half
turning, slyly, to sneak a last glance after the blue-eyed and receding
Mabel.

"Spare my susceptibilities, Holmes, even in your exuberance. That 'old
party,' as you so unfeelingly define her, cannot own to more than two or
three years seniority over my respectable self--four at the outside,"
said Laurence maliciously.

"Oh, go along with you, old chap," retorted Holmes, yet conscious of
feeling just a trifle foolish. "But, I say," eagerly, "can we still go
and look them up so soon as to-morrow, eh?"

"Don't let that misgiving interfere with your beauty sleep, Holmes," was
the reply, dashed with a touch of good-humoured impatience. "People are
not so beastly ceremonious over here."

"I've brought you another sheep to shear, Rainsford," said Laurence, as
they entered the broker's office. "Don't clip him any closer than you
did me, though he's dying to set up as a millionaire on the spot."

And then, having effected this introduction, he left the pair to do
business or not, as the case might be, and strolled back to his own
quarters.

What was this marvellous metamorphosis which had come upon him, flooding
his life with golden waves of sweetness and of light? Now that he had
beheld Lilith once more, he realized what entire hold she had taken of
his thoughts since they two had parted on the deck of the _Persian_. It
was a certainty there was no getting away from--but a certainty now
which he was not in the least desirous of getting away from. He had
beheld her once more. Their meeting had been of the briefest, their
interchange of remarks of the most commonplace, every-day nature. Yet he
had beheld her, had listened to the sound of her voice, had looked into
her eyes. And the glance of those sweet eyes had been responsive; and
his ear could detect a subtile note in the tones of her voice. Sweet
Lilith! the spe