ully, it would be
difficult for any traveller passing through the neighbourhood not to
see the new, great white house, or to hear something, perhaps a very
great deal, of the man who had built it.

Howard sauntered down the hall to meet him.

"Good heavens, how wet you look, and, needless to add, how happy. If
there is anything in the doctrine of the transmigration of souls, my
dear Stafford, your future embodiment will be that of a Newfoundland
dog. Such an extremely strong passion for cold water is
almost--er--indecent. I've had a lovely morning in the library; and
your father is still at work with his correspondence. I asked him what
he thought of Lord Palmerston's aphorism: that if you left your letters
unanswered long enough they answered themselves; and he admitted it was
true, and that he had sometimes adopted the plan successfully. There is
a secretary with him--a dark and silent man named Murray, who appears
to have an automatic, double-action brain; anyway he can write a letter
and answer questions at the same time. And he watches your father's
lips as if he--the secretary, not Sir Stephen--were a dog waiting for a
stone to be thrown. It is interesting to watch--for a time; then it
gets on one's nerves. May I ask where you have been?"

"Oh, just for a ride; been trying the new horse: he's a clinker! The
governor couldn't have got hold of a better if he'd searched all
Arabia, and Hungary to boot. I'll just change and get some lunch. I
hope you haven't waited?"

"Your hope is not in vain, young man," replied Howard, suavely; "but I
will come and sit beside you while you stoke."

With Measom's aid Stafford was soon into dry clothes and seated at
lunch, and, as he had promised, Howard drew a chair to the table, and
contemplated him with vicarious enjoyment.

"What an appetite you have!" he drawled, admiringly. "I imagine it
would stand by you, even if you were in love. As a specimen of the
perfectly healthy animal you stand preeminent, my dear Stafford. By the
way, shall I spoil your lunch if I read you out a list of the guests
whom we are expecting this afternoon? Sir Stephen was good enough to
furnish me with it, with the amiable wish that I might find some friend
on it. What do you say to Lord and Lady Fitzharford; the Countess of
Clansford; the Baron Wirsch; the Right Honourable Henry Efford; Sir
William and Lady Plaistow--"

Stafford looked up and smiled.

"Any more?"

"Oh, yes. There are the two