arm.

The fine gentleman was Colander. The seedy personage was the eternal
Triplet, come to make hay with his five-foot rule while the sun shone.
Colander had opened the door to him, and he had shot into the hall. The
major-domo obstructed the farther entrance of such a coat.

"I tell you my master is not at home," remonstrated the major-domo.

"How can you say so," cried Mrs. Vane, in surprise, "when you know he is
in the garden?"

"Simpleton!" thought Colander.

"Show the gentleman in."

"Gentleman!" muttered Colander.

Triplet thanked her for her condescension; he would wait for Mr. Vane in
the hall. "I came by appointment, madam; this is the only excuse for the
importunity you have just witnessed."

Hearing this, Mrs. Vane dismissed Colander to inform his master.
Colander bowed loftily, and walked into the servants' hall without
deigning to take the last proposition into consideration.

"Come in here, sir," said Mabel; "Mr. Vane will come as soon as he can
leave his company." Triplet entered in a series of obsequious jerks.
"Sit down and rest you, sir." And Mrs. Vane seated herself at the table,
and motioned with her white hand to Triplet to sit beside her.

Triplet bowed, and sat on the edge of a chair, and smirked and dropped
his portfolio, and instantly begged Mrs. Vane's pardon; in taking it up,
he let fall his manuscript, and was again confused; but in the middle
of some superfluous and absurd excuse his eye fell on the haunch; it
straightway dilated to an enormous size, and he became suddenly silent
and absorbed in contemplation.

"You look sadly tired, sir."

"Why, yes, madam. It is a long way from Lambeth Walk, and it is passing
hot, madam." He took his handkerchief out, and was about to wipe his
brow, but returned it hastily to his pocket. "I beg your pardon, madam,"
said Triplet, whose ideas of breeding, though speculative, were severe,
"I forgot myself."

Mabel looked at him, and colored, and slightly hesitated. At last she
said: "I'll be bound you came in such a hurry you forgot--you mustn't be
angry with me--to have your dinner first!"

For Triplet looked like an absurd wolf--all benevolence and starvation!

"What divine intelligence!" thought Trip. "How strange, madam," cried
he, "you have hit it! This accounts, at once, for a craving I feel. Now
you remind me, I recollect carving for others, I did forget to remember
myself. Not that I need have forgot it to-day, madam; but, being use