pose. Make our report--I wait for you."

But my lady preferred waiting for Dick. He consented to speak first, for
the thoroughly characteristic reason that he could "get over it in no
time."

"I shall try the old division," he said, "into First, Second, and Third.
Don't be afraid; I am not going to preach--quite the contrary; I am
going to be quick about it. First, then, Mrs. Evelin has decided, under
sound advice, to go to New Zealand. Second, I have telegraphed to her
relations at the other end of the world to tell them that she is coming.
Third, and last, Farleigh & Halford have sent to the office, and
secured a berth for her in the next ship that sails--date the day after
to-morrow. Done in half a minute. Now, Lady Howel!"

"I will begin and end in half a minute too," she said, "if I can.
First," she continued, turning to her husband, "I found Mrs. Evelin at
your friend's house. She kindly let me say all that I could say for the
relief of my poor heart. Secondly--"

She hesitated, smiled uneasily, and came to a full stop.

"I can't do it, Howel," she confessed; "I speak to you as usual, or I
can never get on. Saying many things in few words--if the ladies
who assert our rights will forgive me for confessing it--is an
accomplishment in which we are completely beaten by the men. You must
have thought me rude, my dear, for leaving you very abruptly, without a
word of explanation. The truth is, I had an idea in my head, and I kept
it to myself (old people are proverbially cautious, you know) till I had
first found out whether it was worth mentioning. When you were speaking
of the wretched creature who had claimed Mrs. Evelin's husband as her
own, you said she was an inveterate drunkard. A woman in that state of
degradation is capable, as I persist in thinking, of any wickedness.
I suppose this put it into my head to doubt her--no; I mean, to wonder
whether Mr. Evelin--do you know that she keeps her husband's name by his
own entreaty addressed to her on his deathbed?--oh, I am losing myself
in a crowd of words of my own collecting! Say the rest of it for me, Sir
Richard!"

"No, Lady Howel. Not unless you call me 'Dick.'"

"Then say it for me--Dick."

"No, not yet, on reflection. Dick is too short, say 'Dear Dick.'"

"Dear Dick--there!"

"Thank you, my lady. Now we had better remember that your husband
is present." He turned to Beaucourt. "Lady Howel had the idea," he
proceeded, "which ought to have presented