orely puzzled. The truth was slowly soaking
into her not over-porous comprehension.

As the launch, with the wedding party, rounded the yacht's stern to
reach her gangway on the off-shore side, Mrs. Hanway-Harley read in
letters of raised gilt: _Dorothy Storms_. She called Dorothy's attention
to the phenomenon in a misty way. Mrs. Hanway-Harley, once aboard, went
over the _Dorothy Storms_, forward and aft, speaking no word. The yacht,
Clyde-built, was a swift ocean-going vessel of twelve hundred tons. Her
fittings were the fittings of a palace. Mrs. Hanway-Harley cornered
Richard on the after-deck.

"Richard," said Mrs. Hanway-Harley, "what took Mr. Gwynn abroad?"

"Why," responded Richard, with a cheerful manner of innocence, "you see
there's a deal for Mr. Gwynn to do. There's the country house in Berks,
and the house in London; then there's the Paris house and the villa at
Nice, and lastly the place in the mountains back of Naples;--Mr. Gwynn
will have to put them in order. The one near Naples--a kind of old
castle, it is--has been in bad hands; there will be plenty of work in
that quarter for Mr. Gwynn, I fancy. You know, mother,"--and Richard
donned an air of filial confidence,--"since this is Dorothy's first look
at them, I'm more than commonly anxious she should be given a happy----"

Where the wretched Richard would have maundered to will never be known,
for he was broken in upon by Mrs. Hanway-Harley.

"Richard, who is Mr. Gwynn?" This with a severe if agitated gravity.
"Who is Mr. Gwynn?"

"Who is Mr. Gwynn?" repeated Richard, blandly. "Well, really, I suppose
he might be called my major-domo; or perhaps butler would describe him."

"You told me that Mr. Gwynn had had about him the best society of
England."

Mrs. Hanway-Harley's manner bordered upon the tragic, for it bore upon
her that she had given a dinner of honor to Mr. Gwynn.

"Why, my dear mother, and so he has had. I can't remember all their
noble names, but one time and another Mr. Gwynn has been butler for the
Duke of This and the Earl of That--really Mr. Gwynn's recommendations
read like a leaf from 'Burke's Peerage.' I myself had him from the Baron
Sudley."

Mrs. Hanway-Harley was for the moment dumb. Dorothy and Bess appeared,
having completed a ransack of staterooms and cabins. The sight of her
daughter restored to Mrs. Hanway-Harley the power of speech.

"Dorothy," she cried, raising her hands limply, "Dorothy, I believe our
Richard