tanding near him, laughed at his confusion.

"An old friend of yours, I think, Dick, eh? Miss Angel. She's stopping
in the house; came to-day. If you're good, you shall take her in to
dinner."

"I'll be what she is by name, if I may!" said Dick, eagerly. "I'll go
and tell her so," and he made his way through the crowd to her.

"Afraid you've forgotten me, Miss Angel," he said. "Hop at the Maltbys',
you know!"

Her eyes danced more merrily, but she surveyed him demurely for a
moment, as if trying to recall him, then she said:

"Oh, yes; the gentleman who was so very--very cool; I was going to say
impudent; pretty Miss Lorton's brother."

"You might have said Miss Lorton's pretty brother!" retorted Dick
reproachfully. "But you'll have time to say it later on, for I'm going
to take you in to dinner."

"'Going to have the honor' of taking me in to dinner, you mean!" she
said, with mock hauteur.

"No; 'pleasure' is the word," said the unabashed Dick. "I say, how
delighted I am to see you here----"

"Thank you."

"Because I know so very few of this mob."

"Oh, I see. I'll recall my thanks, please."

Dick grinned.

"I thought you were rather too previous with your gratitude. But isn't
it jolly being here together!"

"Is that a question or an assertion? Because, if it's the former, I beg
leave to announce that I see no reason for any great delight on my
part."

"Oh, come now! You think! You can resume the lesson on manners you
commenced at the Maltbys'. I want it badly; for I have been among a
rough set lately. I'm a British workingman, you know--engineer. Come
into this corner, and I'll tell you all about it."

"I don't know that I want to hear," she retorted. "But, oh, well, I'll
come after I've spoken to your sister. How lovely she looks to-night! If
I were a man, I should envy Lord Angleford."

"Would you? So should I if he were going to marry another young lady I
know."

"Oh, who is that?" she asked, with admirably feigned innocence and
interest.

"Oh, you can't see her just now. No looking-glass near," he had the
audacity to add, but under his breath.

The dinner hour struck, the carriages were setting down the last
arrivals, and Lady Angleford was looking round and smilingly awaiting
the butler's "Dinner is served, my lady!" when a footman came up to her
and said something in a low voice.

The countess went out of the room, and found her maid in the hall.

The woman whispered a few words th