ever hear any news," she answered shortly.

"Well, here's some for you," replied the Earl, grinning. "Kate has
chucked Eugene over."

"Nonsense!" But she started and colored, all the same.

"I suppose you were at Baden and saw it all, and I wasn't!" said
Rickmansworth, with ponderous satire. "So we won't say any more about
it."

"Well, what do you mean?"

"No; never mind! It doesn't matter--all a mistake. I'm always making
some beastly blunder--eh, Bob?" and he winked gently at his appreciative
brother.

"Yes, you're an ass, of course!" said Bob, entering into the family
humor.

"Good thing I've got a sister to keep me straight!" pursued the Earl,
who was greatly amused with himself. "Might have gone about believing
it, you know."

Claudia was annoyed. Brothers are annoying at times.

"I don't see any fun in that," she said.

Lord Rickmansworth drank some beer (beer was the Territon drink), and
maintained silence.

The butler came in with his satellite, swept away the beer and the
other _impedimenta_, and put on dessert. The servants disappeared, but
silence still reigned unbroken.

Claudia arose, and went round to her brother's chair. He was
ostentatiously busy with a large plum.

"Rick, dear, won't you tell me?"

"Tell you! Why, it's all nonsense, you know."

"Rick, dear!" said Claudia again, with her arm around his neck.

He was going to carry on his jest a little further, when he happened to
look at her.

"Why, Clau, you look as if you were almost--"

"Never mind that," she said quickly. "Oh! do tell me."

"It is quite true. She's written breaking it off, and has accepted
Haddington. But it's a secret, you know, till they've heard from Eugene,
at all events. Must hear in a day or two."

"Is it really true?

"Of course it is."

Claudia kissed him, and suddenly ran out of the room.

The brothers looked at one another.

"I hope that's all right?" said the elder questioningly.

"I expect so," answered the younger. "But, you see, you don't quite know
where to have Eugene."

"I shall know where to have him, if necessary."

"You'd better keep your hoof out of it, old man," said Bob candidly.

Pursuing his train of thought, Rickmansworth went on:

"Must have been rather a queer game at Millstead?"

"Yes. There was Eugene and Kate, and Claudia and the parson, and old
Ayre sticking his long nose into it."

"Trust old Ayre for that; and is it a case?"

"Well, now Kate's out of it, I