ment of the solidarity of the family so
powerful in English life), if amongst these she succeeds from time to
time in inducing two or three public officials, or even private members,
to prove how good a cook she keeps, she thinks she is exercising an
influence on the politics of her time. Her form of conversation consists
in plying her victim with questions. Not here one there one, to keep the
ball rolling, but a steady and pitiless fire of 'Do you think?' and
'_Why_ do you?'

Obedient to her hostess's wireless telegram, Miss Levering bent her
head, and said to Mrs. Townley's neighbour--

'I know I ought not to talk to you till after the _entree_.'

'Pray do!' said Sir William, with a sudden glint in his little eyes; and
then with a burnt-child air of caution, 'Unless----' he began.

'Oh, you make conditions!' said Miss Levering, laughing.

'Only one. Promise not'--he lowered his voice--'promise not to say
"Bill."'

'I won't even go so far as to say "William."'

He laughed as obligingly as though the jest had been a good one. A
little ashamed, its maker hastened to leave it behind.

'There's nothing I should quite so much hate talking about as
politics--saving your presence.'

'Ah!'

'I was thinking of something _much_ more important.'

Even her rallying tone did not wholly reassure the poor man.

'More important?' he repeated.

'Yes; I long to know (and I long to be forgiven for asking), what Order
that is you are wearing, and what you did to get it.'

Haycroft breathed freely. He talked for the next ten minutes about the
bauble, making a humorous translation of its Latin 'posy,' and
describing in the same vein the service to a foreign state that had won
him the recognition. He wouldn't have worn the thing to-night except out
of compliment to the ambassador from the Power in question. They were
going on together to the reception at the Foreign Office. As to the
Order, Haycroft seemed to feel he owed it to himself to smile at all
such toys, but he did not disdain to amuse the pretty lady with the one
in question, any more than being humane (and even genial sitting before
Mrs. Freddy's menu), he would have refused to show the whirring wheels
of his watch to a nice child. The two got on so well that the anxious
look quite faded out of Mrs. Freddy's face, and she devoted herself
gaily to the distinguished foreigner at her side. But Haycroft at a
party was, like so many Englishmen, as the lilies of the fiel