Wolfer.

Nell was in the middle of the second song when the men filed in. Some of
them came straight into the room and sought the women they wanted,
others hung about the doors, and, hiding their yawns, glanced quite
openly at their watches.

The earl made his way to his wife where she was sitting by the fire, her
eyes fixed on the flames, which she could just see over the top of her
hand screen.

"I have to go on to the Meridues' when these have gone," he said. "Are
you coming, Ada?"

She glanced up at him. His eyes were fixed on the bosom of her dress, on
the spot where the white blossom had shone conspicuously, but shone no
longer; and there was a wistful, yearning expression on his grave face.

She did not raise her eyes.

"I don't know. I may be tired. Perhaps I may follow you."

He bowed, almost as he would have bowed to a stranger; then, as he was
turning away, he said casually, but with a faint tremor in his voice:

"You have lost your flower!"

She raised her eyes and looked at him coldly.

"My flower? Ah, yes. My maid must have put it in insecurely."

The earl said nothing, but his grave eyes slowly left her face and
wandered to Sir Archie and the flower in his buttonhole.

"I will wait for you until twelve," he said, with cold courtesy.

Lady Wolfer rose and went toward Lady Angleford.

"I wish you'd join us, my dear," she said. "Why, the woman movement
sprang from America. You ought to sympathize with us."

"Oh, but I'm English now," said Lady Angleford, "and, being a convert,
I'm more English than the English. What a charming specimen of your
country you have in Miss Lorton! I don't want to rob you of her, but do
you think you could spare her to come to us at Anglemere? We are going
there almost directly."

Lady Wolfer replied absently:

"Yes, certainly; ask her. It will not matter to me."

"Not matter!" said Lady Angleford. "Why, I should have thought you would
have suffered pangs at the mere thought of parting with her. She is an
angel! Did you hear her sing just now? I don't know much about your
English larks, but I was comparing her with them----"

Lady Wolfer fanned herself vigorously.

"Ask her, by all means," she said. "Oh, yes; of course I shall miss
her."

As she spoke, Sir Archie came toward her. A faint flush rose to her
face. Her eyes fell upon the white flower in his buttonhole.

"Why--how----Is that my flower?" she said, in a low voice.

"Yes," he replied. "It is y