enough sport for him. Soon after
dinner, he was handed two telegrams. He glanced slowly up at Pride, as
if debating whether to tell him something. He evidently decided against
it, and, excusing himself by saying he was off to take a little walk in
Wall Street, went away to the telegraph office, where he stayed three
hours.

The magnitude of the concerns, the admirable stoicism with which
he received alarming news, his dry humour while they waited between
messages--all were so unlike anything the telegraph-clerk had ever seen,
or imagined, that the thing was like a preposterous dream. Even when,
at last, a telegram came which the clerk vaguely felt was, somehow, like
the fall of an empire, Mr. Vandewaters remained unmoved. Then he sent
one more telegram, gave the clerk a pound, asked that the reply be sent
to him as soon as it came, and went away, calmly smoking his cigar.

It was a mild night. When he got to the house he found some of the
guests walking on the veranda. He joined them; but Miss Raglan was not
with them; nor were Lady Lawless and Mr. Pride. He wanted to see
all three, and so he went into the house. There was no one in the
drawing-room. He reached the library in time to hear Lady Lawless say
to Mr. Pride, who was disappearing through another door: "You had better
ask advice of Mr. Vandewaters."

The door closed. Mr. Vandewaters stepped forward.

He understood the situation. "I guess I know how to advise him, Lady
Lawless," he said.

She turned on him quietly, traces of hauteur in her manner. Her
self-pride had been hurt. "You have heard?" she asked.

"Only your last words, Lady Lawless. They were enough. I feel guilty in
having brought him here."

"You need not. I was glad to have your friend. He is young and effusive.
Let us say no more about it.

"He is tragically repentant; which is a pity. There is no reason why he
should not stay, and be sensible. Why should young men lose their heads,
and be so absurdly earnest?"

"Another poser, Lady Lawless."

"In all your life you never misunderstood things so, I am sure."

"Well, there is no virtue in keeping your head steady. I have spent most
of my life wooing Madame Fortune; I find that makes a man canny."

"She has been very kind to you."

"Perhaps it would surprise you if I told you that at this moment I am
not worth ten thousand dollars." She looked greatly astonished. "I do
not understand," she said. She was thinking of what this might mean