gel Anstruthers had never appeared at what the uninvited were wont,
with derisive smiles, to call The Great Panjandrum Function--which was
an ironic designation not employed by such persons as received cards
bidding them to the festivity. Stornham Court was not popular in
the county; no one had yearned for the society of the Dowager Lady
Anstruthers, even in her youth; and a not too well-favoured young man
with an ill-favoured temper, noticeably on the lookout for grievances,
is not an addition to one's circle. At nineteen Nigel had discovered
the older Lord Mount Dunstan and his son Tenham to be congenial
acquaintances, and had been so often absent from home that his
neighbours would have found social intercourse with him difficult, even
if desirable. Accordingly, when the county paper recorded the splendours
of The Great Panjandrum Function--which it by no means mentioned by that
name--the list of "Among those present" had not so far contained the
name of Sir Nigel Anstruthers.

So, on a morning a few days after his return, the master of Stornham
turned over a card of invitation and read it several times before
speaking.

"I suppose you know what this means," he said at last to Rosalie, who
was alone with him.

"It means that we are invited to Dunholm Castle for the ball, doesn't
it?"

Her husband tossed the card aside on the table.

"It means that Betty will be invited to every house where there is a son
who must be disposed of profitably.

"She is invited because she is beautiful and clever. She would be
invited if she had no money at all," said Rosy daringly. She was
actually growing daring, she thought sometimes. It would not have been
possible to say anything like this a few months ago.

"Don't make silly mistakes," said Nigel. "There are a good many handsome
girls who receive comparatively little attention. But the hounds of war
are let loose, when one of your swollen American fortunes appears. The
obviousness of it 'virtuously' makes me sick. It's as vulgar--as New
York."

What befel next brought to Sir Nigel a shock of curious enlightenment,
but no one was more amazed than Rosy herself. She felt, when she heard
her own voice, as if she must be rather mad.

"I would rather," she said quite distinctly, "that you did not speak to
me of New York in that way."

"What!" said Anstruthers, staring at her with contempt which was
derision.

"It is my home," she answered. "It is not proper that I should he