lady of
social prominence on his right not at all; nor to Mrs. Pomfret'--who
excused him. Being a lady of discerning qualities, however, the hostess
remarked that Mr. Crewe's eyes wandered more than once to the far end of
the oval table, where Victoria sat, and even Mrs. Pomfret could not
deny the attraction. Victoria wore a filmy gown of mauve that infinitely
became her, and a shadowy hat which, in the semi-darkness of the dining
room, was a wondrous setting for her shapely head. Twice she caught
Mr. Crewe's look upon her and returned it amusedly from under her
lashes,--and once he could have sworn that she winked perceptibly. What
fires she kindled in his deep nature it is impossible to say.

She had kindled other fires at her side. The tall young Englishman had
lost interest in American politics, had turned his back upon poor Alice
Pomfret, and had forgotten the world in general. Not so the Austrian,
who was on the other side of Alice, and who could not see Victoria. Mr.
Crewe, by his manner and appearance, had impressed him as a person of
importance, and he wanted to know more. Besides, he wished to improve
his English, and Alice had been told to speak French to him. By a lucky
chance, after several blind attempts, he awakened the interest of the
personality.

"I hear you are what they call reform in America?"

This was not the question that opened the gates.

"I don't care much for the word," answered Mr. Crewe, shortly; "I prefer
the word progressive."

Discourse on the word "progressive" by the Austrian almost a monologue.
But he was far from being discouraged.

"And Mrs. Pomfret tells me they play many detestable tricks on
you--yes?"

"Tricks!" exclaimed Mr. Crewe, the memory of many recent ones being
fresh in his mind; "I should say so. Do you know what a caucus is?"

"Caucus--caucus? It brings something to my head. Ah, I have seen a
picture of it, in some English book. A very funny picture--it is in fun,
yes?"

"A picture?" said Mr. Crewe. "Impossible!"

"But no," said the Austrian, earnestly, with one finger to his temples.
"It is a funny picture, I know. I cannot recall. But the word caucus I
remember. That is a droll word."

"Perhaps, Baron," said Victoria, who had been resisting an almost
uncontrollable desire to laugh, "you have been reading 'Alice in
Wonderland.'"

The Englishman, Beatrice Chillingham, and some others (among whom were
not Mr. Crewe and Mrs. Pomfret) gave way to an extreme