influence in this part of the world, and he is a man who, I should say,
was rather used to having his own way."

"I gathered that I wasn't exactly popular with him this afternoon,"
Richard remarked meditatively. "I've been out there to call."

Hunterleys stopped short upon the pavement.

"What?" he exclaimed.

"I have been out to call at the Villa Mimosa," Richard repeated. "I
don't see anything extraordinary in that."

"Did you see--Miss Fedora?"

"Rather! And thank you for telling me her name, at any rate. We sat on
the terrace and chatted for a quarter of an hour. She gave me to
understand, though, that the old man was dead against me. It all seems
very mysterious. Anyway, she gave me this rose I am wearing, and I think
she'll be at the Club to-morrow afternoon."

Hunterleys was silent for a moment. He seemed much impressed.

"You know, Richard," he declared, "there is something akin to genius in
your methods."

"That's all very well," the young man protested, "but can you give me a
single solid reason why, considering I am in love with the girl, I
shouldn't go and call upon her? Who is this Mr. Grex, anyway?"

"I've a good mind to tell you," Hunterleys said meditatively.

"I don't care whether you do or not," Lane pronounced firmly, as they
parted. "I don't care whether Mr. Grex is the Sultan of Turkey or the
Czar of Russia. I'm going to marry his daughter. That's settled."

CHAPTER XIV

DINNER FOR TWO

At a few minutes before eight o'clock that evening Lady Hunterleys
descended the steps of the Casino and crossed the square towards the
Hotel de Paris. She walked very slowly and she looked neither to the
right nor to the left. She had the air of seeing no one. She
acknowledged mechanically the low bow of the commissionaire who opened
the door for her. A reception clerk who stood on one side to let her
pass, she ignored altogether. She crossed the hall to the lift and
pressed the bell. Draconmeyer, who had been lounging in an easy-chair
waiting for her, watched her entrance and noticed her abstracted manner
with kindling eyes. He threw away his newspaper and, hastily approaching
her, touched her arm.

"You are late," he remarked.

She started.

"Yes, I am late."

"I did not see you at the Club."

"I have been to the Casino instead," she told him. "I thought that it
might change my luck."

"Successful, I trust?"

She shook her head. Then she opened her gold satchel and showed him. I