oom was filled with visions of Shorne Mills--visions in which Drake,
the lover who had left her for Lady Luce, was the principal figure.

On the night of the big dinner party, she, having had the last
consultation with Mrs. Hubbard and the butler, went downstairs. The vast
drawing-room was empty, and she was standing by the fire and looking at
the clock rather anxiously--for it was quite on the cards that Lady
Wolfer would be late, and that some of the guests would arrive before
the hostess was ready to receive them--when the door opened and her
ladyship entered. She was handsomely dressed, and wore the family
diamonds, and Nell, who had not before seen her so richly attired and
bejeweled, was about to express her admiration, when Lady Wolfer stopped
short and surveyed the slim figure of her "housekeeper companion" with
widely opened eyes and a smile of surprise and friendly approval.

"My dear child, how--how----Ahem! no, it's no use; I must speak my mind!
My dear Nell, if I were as vain as some women, and, like most, had a
strong objection to being cut out in my own house by my own cousin, I
should send you to bed! Where did you get that dress, and who made it?"

Nell laughed and blushed.

"I bought it in Regent Street--half of it--and made the rest; and please
don't pretend that you like it."

"I won't," said Lady Wolfer succinctly. "My dear, you are too pretty for
anything, and the dress is charming! Oh, mine! Mine is commonplace
compared beside it, and smacks the modiste and the Louvre; while
yours----Archie is right; you have more taste than Cerise herself----"
She broke off as the earl entered. "Don't you admire Nell's dress?" she
said, but with her eyes fixed on one of her bracelets, which appeared to
have come unfastened.

The earl looked at Nell--blushing furiously now--with grave attention.

"I always admire Miss Lorton's dresses," he said, with a little bow.
Then his eyes wandered to the white arm and the open bracelet, and he
made a step toward his wife; then he hesitated, and, before he could
make up his mind to fasten it, she had snapped to the clasp.

"I tell her she will cause a sensation to-night," she said, moving away.

He looked at his wife gravely.

"Indeed, yes," he said absently. "Is it not time some of them arrived?"

As he spoke, the footman announced Lady Angleford.

She came forward, her train sweeping behind her, a pleasant smile on her
mignonne face.

"Am I the first, Lady Wol