money, _per
se_, did not affect him much. He walked away home. When he reached his
rooms, there were some letters for him lying on the table; he took them
and looked at them; he noticed one handwriting that used to be rather
more familiar. This letter he opened first.

AIVRON LODGE, CAMPDEN HILL, _Feb._ 23.

"MY DEAR MR. MOORE,--It is really quite shocking the way you have
neglected us of late, and I, at least, cannot imagine any reason.
Perhaps we have both been in fault. My sisters and I have all been
very busy, in our several ways; and then it is awkward you should
have only the one Sunday evening free. But there, let _bygones_ be
_bygones_, and come and dine with us on Sunday, March 3, at 8.
Forgive the short notice; I've had some trouble in trying to secure
one, or two people whom I don't know very well, and I couldn't fix
earlier. The fact is, I want it to be an _intellectual_ little
dinner; and who could represent music and the drama so fitly as
yourself? I want only people with brains at it--perhaps you
wouldn't include Rockminster in that category, but I must have him
to help me, as my husband is away in Scotland looking after his
beasts. Now do be good-natured, dear Mr. Moore, and say you will
come.

"And I am going to try your goodness another way. You remember
speaking to me about a friend of yours who was connected with
newspapers, and who knew some of the London correspondents of the
provincial journals? Could you oblige me with his address and the
correct spelling of his name? I presume he would not consider it
out of the way if I wrote to him as being a friend of yours, and
enclosed a card of invitation. I want to have _all_ the
_talents_--that is, all of them I can get to come and honor the
house of a mere novice and beginner. I did not catch either your
friend's surname or his Christian name.
Ever yours sincerely, ADELA CUNYNGHAM."

He tossed the letter on to the table.

"I wonder," he said to himself, "how much of that is meant for me, and
how much for Maurice Mangan and newspaper paragraphs."

But it was high time to get to bed; and that he did without any serious
fretting over his losses at the Garden Club. These had amounted, on the
whole gamble, to nearly L170; which might have made him pause. For did