ller--about one inch. He must be a good deal over
six feet, because the other one is very tall, too; but now that one saw
them together, Mr. Carruthers's figure appeared stiff and set besides Lord
Robert's, and he hasn't got nearly such a little waist. But they really
are lovely creatures, both of them, and I don't yet know which I like
best.

We had such an engaging time at dinner! I was as provoking as I could be
in the time, sympathetically, absorbingly interested in Mr. Barton's long
stories, and only looking at the other two now and then from under my
eyelashes; while I talked in the best demure fashion that I am sure even
Lady Katherine Montgomerie--a neighbor of ours--would have approved of.

They should not be able to say I could not chaperone myself in any
situation.

"Dam good port this, Christopher," Lord Robert said, when the '47 was
handed round. "Is this what you asked me down to sample?"

"I thought it was to give your opinion about the pictures?" I exclaimed,
surprised. "Mr. Carruthers said you were a great judge."

They looked at each other.

"Oh--ah--yes," said Lord Robert, lying transparently. "Pictures are
awfully interesting. Will you show me them after dinner?"

"The light is too dim for a connoisseur to investigate them properly," I
said.

"I shall have it all lit by electricity as soon as possible; I wrote about
it to-day," Mr. Carruthers announced, sententiously. "But I will show you
the pictures myself, to-morrow, Bob."

This at once decided me to take Lord Robert round to-night, and I told him
so in a velvet voice while Mr. Barton was engaging Christopher's
attention.

They stayed such a long time in the dining-room after I left that I was on
my way to bed when they came out into the hall, and could with difficulty
be persuaded to remain--for a few moments.

"I am too awfully sorry," Lord Robert said. "I could not get away. I do
not know what possessed Christopher; he would sample ports, and talked the
hind-leg off a donkey, till at last I said to him straight out I wanted to
come to you. So here I am. Now you won't go to bed, will you?--please,
please."

He has such pleading blue eyes, imploring pathetically, like a baby in
distress, it is quite impossible to resist him--and we started down the
gallery.

Of course, he did not know the difference between a Canaletto and a
Turner, and hardly made a pretence of being interested; in fact, when we
got to the end where the early It