possible future of
such a man as himself--the high place, and the great rewards which, in all
likelihood, awaited him--there would come an opportune moment to suggest,
that to any one less gifted, less conversant with knowledge of life than
herself, such reasonings could not be addressed.

'It could never be,' cried he aloud; 'to some miss fresh from the
schoolroom and the governess, I could dare to talk a language only
understood by those who have been conversant with high questions, and moved
in the society of thoughtful talkers.'

There is no quality so dangerous to eulogise as experience, and Atlee
thought long over this. One determination or another must speedily be come
to. If there was no likelihood of success with Lady Maude, he must not
lose his chances with the Greek girl. The sum, whatever it might be, which
her father should obtain for his secret papers, would constitute a very
respectable portion. 'I have a stronger reason to fight for liberal terms,'
thought he, 'than the Prince Kostalergi imagines; and, fortunately, that
fine parental trait, that noble desire to make a provision for his child,
stands out so clearly in my brief, I should be a sorry advocate if I could
not employ it.'

In the few words that passed between Lord Danesbury and himself on
arriving, he learned that there was but little chance of winning his
election for the borough. Indeed, he bore the disappointment jauntily and
good-humouredly. That great philosophy of not attaching too much importance
to any one thing in life, sustained him in every venture. 'Bet on the
field--never back the favourite,' was his formula for inculcating the
wisdom of trusting to the general game of life, rather than to any
particular emergency. 'Back the field,' he would say, 'and you must be
unlucky, or you'll come right in the long run.'

They dined that day alone, that is, they were but three at table; and Atlee
enjoyed the unspeakable pleasure of hearing them talk with the freedom
and unconstraint people only indulge in when 'at home.' Lord Danesbury
discussed confidential questions of political importance: told how his
colleagues agreed in this, or differed on that; adverted to the nice points
of temperament which made one man hopeful and that other despondent or
distrustful; he exposed the difficulties they had to meet in the Commons,
and where the Upper House was intractable; and even went so far in his
confidences as to admit where the criticisms of