rt Langley's. He had taken much interest in Helena Langley. She had
an influence over him which he told himself was only the influence of a
clever child--told himself of this again and again. Yet there was a
curious feeling of unfitness or dissatisfaction with the part he was
going to play. Of course, he would do his very best for Hamilton. There
was no man in the world for whom he cared half so much as he did for
Hamilton. No--that is not putting it strongly enough--there was now no
man in the world for whom he really cared but Hamilton. The Dictator's
affections were curiously narrowed. He had almost no friends whom he
really loved but Hamilton--and acquaintances were to him just all the
same, one as good as another, and no better. He was a philanthropist by
temperament, or nature, or nerve, or something; but while he would have
risked his life for almost any man, and for any woman or child, he did
not care in the least for social intercourse with men, women, and
children in general. He could not talk to a child--children were a
trouble to him, because he did not know what to say to them. Perhaps
this was one reason why he was attracted by Helena Langley; she seemed
so like the ideal child to whom one can talk. Then came up the thought
in his mind--must he lose Hamilton if Miss Langley should consent to
take him as her husband? Of course, Hamilton had declared that he would
never marry until the Dictator and he had won back Gloria; but how long
would that resolve last if Helena were to answer, Yes--and Now? The
Dictator felt lonely as his cab stopped at Sir Rupert Langley's door.

'Is Miss Langley at home?'

Yes, Miss Langley was at home. Of course, the Dictator knew that she
would be, and yet in his heart he could almost have wished to hear that
she was out. There is a mood of mind in which one likes any
postponement. But the duty of friendship had to be done--and the
Dictator was sorry for everybody.

The Dictator was met in the hall by the footman, and also by To-to.
To-to was Helena's black poodle. The black poodle took to all Helena's
friends very readily. Whom she liked, he liked. He had his ways, like
his mistress--and he at once allowed Ericson to understand not only that
Helena was at home, but that Helena was sitting just then in her own
room, where she habitually received her friends. The footman told the
Dictator that Miss Langley was at home--To-to told him what the footman
could not have ventured to do