aughter?"

Grace's head sunk on her breast; she dropped into the nearest chair. The
expression of her face changed instantly from anger to discouragement.
"Ah," she exclaimed, bitterly, "if I only had the letters that have been
stolen from me!"

"Letters," asked Julian, "introducing you to Lady Janet?"

"Yes." She turned suddenly to Lady Janet. "Let me tell you how I lost
them," she said, in the first tones of entreaty which had escaped her
yet.

Lady Janet hesitated. It was not in her generous nature to resist the
appeal that had just been made to her. The sympathies of Horace were far
less easily reached. He lightly launched a new shaft of satire--intended
for the private amusement of Lady Janet. "Another explanation!" he
exclaimed, with a look of comic resignation.

Julian overheard the words. His large lustrous eyes fixed themselves on
Horace with a look of unmeasured contempt.

"The least you can do," he said, sternly, "is not to irritate her. It
is so easy to irritate her!" He addressed himself again to Grace,
endeavoring to help her through her difficulty in a new way. "Never mind
explaining yourself for the moment," he said. "In the absence of your
letters, have you any one in London who can speak to your identity?"

Grace shook her head sadly. "I have no friends in London," she answered.

It was impossible for Lady Janet--who had never in her life heard of
anybody without friends in London--to pass this over without notice. "No
friends in London!" she repeated, turning to Horace.

Horace shot another shaft of light satire. "Of course not!" he rejoined.

Grace saw them comparing notes. "My friends are in Canada," she broke
out, impetuously. "Plenty of friends who could speak for me, if I could
only bring them here."

As a place of reference--mentioned in the capital city of
England--Canada, there is no denying it, is open to objection on the
ground of distance. Horace was ready with another shot. "Far enough off,
certainly," he said.

"Far enough off, as you say," Lady Janet agreed.

Once more Julian's inexhaustible kindness strove to obtain a hearing for
the stranger who had been confided to his care. "A little patience, Lady
Janet," he pleaded. "A little consideration, Horace, for a friendless
woman."

"Thank you, sir," said Grace. "It is very kind of you to try and help
me, but it is useless. They won't even listen to me." She attempted to
rise from her chair as she pronounced the last words.