ate," said Mr Bunker, smiling.

She gave a very enticing look of surprise, and consented to smile back
before she coyly looked away again.

"An erring husband, I presume."

She admitted that it was in fact a husband who had failed her.

"But," she added, "I'm afraid--I mean I expect he'll come in after the next
act. It's so tiresome of him to disappoint me like this."

Mr Bunker expressed the deepest sympathy with her unfortunate predicament.

"He has his ticket, of course?"

But it seemed that she had both the tickets with her, an arrangement which
he immediately denounced as likely to lead to difficulties when her
husband arrived. He further, in the most obliging manner, suggested that
he should take the ticket for the other seat to the booking office and
leave instructions for its being given to the gentleman on his arrival.
The lady gave him a curious little glance that seemed to imply a mixture
of doubt as to his motives with confidence in his abilities, and then with
many thanks agreed to his suggestion. Mr Bunker took the ticket and rose
at once.

"That I may be sure you are in good company while I am away," said he,
"permit me to introduce my friend the Baron Rudolph von Blitzenberg."

And the Baron promptly took his vacant seat.

On his return Mr Bunker found his friend wreathed in smiles and engaged in
the most animated conversation with the lady, and before the last act was
over, he gathered from such scraps of conversation as reached his ears
that Rudolph von Blitzenberg had little to learn in one department of a
nobleman's duties.

"I wonder where my husband can be," the lady whispered.

"Ach, heed him not, fair lady," replied the Baron. "Am I not instead of a
hosband?"

"I'm afraid you're a very naughty man, Baron."

"Ven I am viz you," the gallant Baron answered, "I forget myself all bot
your charms."

These advances being made in the most dulcet tones of which the nobleman
was master, and accompanied by the most enamoured expression, it is not
surprising that the lady permitted herself to listen to them with perhaps
too ready an ear. What Mr Bunker's arrangement with the booking clerk had
been was never quite clear, but certainly the erring husband failed to
make his appearance at all, and at the last fall of the curtain she was
easily persuaded to let the Baron escort her home.

"I know I ought not, but if a husband deserts one so faithlessly, what can
I do?" she said, with a very bec