his life, instead
of being at once ushered into the presence of the Minister, he was asked
to "wait for a few moments." What a shock did the intimation give him!
Was the news already abroad,--had the fell tidings escaped? A second's
consideration showed this was impossible; and yet what meant this
reserve?

"Is the Council sitting, Mr. Bagwell?" asked he, of a very well-dressed
young gentleman, with a glass fixed in his eye, who acted as Private
Secretary to the Minister.

"No; they're chatting, I fancy," lisped out the other. "The Council was
up half an hour ago."

"Have you mentioned my name, sir?" asked Dunn, with a formidable
emphasis on the pronoun.

"Yes," said he, arranging his hair before the glass; "I sent in your
card."

"Well, and the answer?"

"There was no answer, which, I take it, means 'wait,'" replied he, in
the same light and graceful tone of voice.

Dunn took his hat hastily from the table; and with a stern stare,
intended to mean "I shall remember your face again," said,--

"You may inform Lord Jedburg that I came by appointment; that I was here
punctually at one o'clock; that I waited full fifteen minutes; that--"

What more Mr. Dunn was about to say was cut short by the opening
of a-door, and the issuing forth of some five or six gentlemen, all
laughing and talking together.

"How d'ye do, Mr. Dunn?" "How d'ye do, Dunn?" "How are you, Dunn?" said
some three or four, familiarly, as they passed through the room. And ere
he could acknowledge the salutations, Lord Jedburg himself appeared at
the door, and made a sign for him to enter. Never before had Davenport
Dunn crossed those precincts with so nervous a heart. If his reason
assured him that there was no cause of fear, his instincts and his
conscience spoke a different language. He bent one quick penetrating
glance on the Minister ere he sat down, as though to read there what he
might of the future; but there was nothing to awaken anxiety or distrust
in that face. His Lordship was far advanced in life, his hair more white
than gray, his brow wrinkled and deep-furrowed; and yet, if, instead of
the cares of a mighty empire, his concern had been the passing events of
a life of society and country habits, nothing could have more suited the
easy expression, the graceful smile, and the pleasant _bonhomie_ of that
countenance. Resuming the cigar he had been smoking as Dunn came in, he
lounged back indolently in his deep chair, and said,--

"W