"I think," he said, "that I've got that little trouble between Madame
Ypsilante and the dentist settled up all right."

"Are you sure?" said Dane-Latimer. "Scarsby is still in a furious
temper. At least he was the day before yesterday. I haven't seen him
since then."

"You won't see him again," said Gorman. "He has completely climbed
down."

"How the deuce did you manage it?"

Gorman drew a heavy square envelope from his breast pocket and handed it
to Dane-Latimer.

"That's for you," he said, "and if you really want to understand how the
case was settled you'd better accept the invitation and come with me."

Dane-Latimore opened the envelope and drew out a large white card with
gilt edges and nicely rounded corners.

"10 Beaulieu Gardens, S.W." he read. "Mrs. J. de Montford Scarsby. At
Home, Thursday, June 24, 9 to 11. To have the honour of meeting His
Majesty the King of Megalia. R.S.V.P."

"The king," said Gorman, "is going in his uniform as Field Marshal of
the Megalian Army. It took me half an hour to persuade him to do that,
and I don't wonder. It's a most striking costume--light blue silk
blouse, black velvet gold-embroidered waistcoat, white corded breeches,
immense patent leather boots, a gold chain as thick as a cable of a
small yacht with a dagger at the end of it, and a bright red fur cap
with a sham diamond star in front. The poor man will look an awful
ass, and feel it. I wouldn't have let him in for the uniform if I could
possibly have helped it, but that brute Scarsby was as vindictive as a
red Indian and as obstinate as a swine. His wife could do nothing with
him at first. She came to me with tears and said she'd have to give up
the idea of entertaining the king at her party if his coming depended on
Scarsby's withdrawing his action against Madame Ypsilante. I told her to
have another try and promised her he'd come in uniform if she succeeded.
That induced her to tackle her husband again. I don't know how she
managed it, but she did. Scarsby has climbed down and doesn't even ask
for an apology. I advise you to come to the party."

"Will Madame Ypsilante be there?"

"I hope not," said Gorman. "I shall persuade her to stay at home if I
can. I don't know whether Scarsby will show up or not; but it's better
to take no risks. She might kick him again."

"What I was wondering," said Dane-Latimer, "was whether she'd kick me.
She might feel that she ought to get a bit of her own back out of the