This," Anna declared, as she sipped her wine and looked around her,
"reminds me more of Paris than any place I have yet seen. I suppose it
is the mirrors and decorations."

"And the people?" Brendon asked. "What do you think of them?"

Anna extended her critical survey and shrugged her shoulders.

"What can one say?" she exclaimed. "Did you ever see women so
weary-looking and so dowdy? They do not talk. They seem to spend their
time yawning and inspecting their neighbour's dresses through those
hateful glasses. It never seems to enter their heads to try and amuse
their menkind."

Two young men on their way down the room came suddenly to a standstill
before Anna. The foremost, tall, clean-shaven, perfectly groomed, half
extended his hand with a smile of recognition.

"Miss Pellissier, isn't it?" he said. "Glad to see you in London. No
idea that you were here, though."

Anna looked up with a doubtful smile of non-recognition.

"My name is certainly Pellissier," she said, "but I am very sorry--I
do not recognize you in the least."

The tall young man dropped his eye-glass and smiled.

"Had the pleasure of dining with you at the 'Ambassador's' one night,
before the show, you know--last September I think it was. Charley
Pevenill was our host. My name is Armytage--Lord Ernest Armytage."

Anna had suddenly stiffened. She regarded the young man coldly. Her
tone was icy.

"I am afraid that you are making a mistake," she said. "I was never at
any such dinner, and I am quite sure that I do not know you."

"Perhaps you remember me, Miss Pellissier," the second young man
interposed. "I had the pleasure of--er--meeting you more than once, I
believe."

A spot of colour flared in Anna's cheek as she glanced towards the
speaker. Something in his smile, in the cynical suggestiveness of his
deferential tone, maddened her.

"To the best of my belief," she said, with quiet dignity, "I have
never seen either of you before in my life."

For a fraction of a second the two young men hesitated. Then the
foremost bowed and passed on.

"I am exceedingly sorry," he said. "Pray accept my apologies."

"And mine," murmured his companion, with the smile still lingering
upon his lips.

They took their places at a distant table. Anna sat quite still for a
moment, and then the colour suddenly returned to her cheeks. She
laughed softly, and leaned across the table.

"Do not look so uncomfortable, both of you," she begged. "Those you