obert's family was weary of the sound of
his name, but this was the first time Robert had induced him to leave
the haunts of his genius to visit the Brown household.

Mr. Lewes bowed with a set, stern, self-conscious expression, as
though to convey to all that his celebrity was more of a weight than a
pleasure to him. Mrs. de Vere Carter bridled and fluttered, for
_Fiddle Strings_ had a society column and a page of scrappy "News of
the Town," and Mrs. de Vere Carter's greatest ambition was to see her
name in print.

Mr. Lewes sat back in his chair, took his tea-cup as though it were a
fresh addition to his responsibilities, and began to talk. He talked
apparently without even breathing. He began on the weather, drifted on
to art and music, and was just beginning a monologue on The Novel,
when William rose and crept from the room like a guilty spirit. He
found Mr. Blank under the library table, having heard a noise in the
kitchen and fearing a visitor. A cigar and a silver snuffer had
fallen from his pocket to the floor. He hastily replaced them. William
went up and took another look at the wonderful ears and heaved a sigh
of relief. While parted from his strange friend he had had a horrible
suspicion that the whole thing was a dream.

"I'll go to the larder and get you sumthin'," he said. "You jus' stay
here."

"I think, young gent," said Mr. Blank, "I think I'll just go an' look
round upstairs on the quiet like, an' you needn't mention it to no
one. See?"

Again he performed the fascinating wink.

They crept on tiptoe into the hall, but--the drawing-room door was
ajar.

"William!"

William's heart stood still. He could hear his mother coming across
the room, then--she stood in the doorway. Her face filled with horror
as her eye fell upon Mr. Blank.

"_William!_" she said.

William's feelings were beyond description. Desperately he sought for
an explanation for his friend's presence. With what pride and
_sang-froid_ had Robert announced his uninvited guest! William
determined to try it, at any rate. He advanced boldly into the
drawing-room.

"This is Mr. Blank, mother," he announced jauntily. "He hasn't got no
ears."

Mr. Blank stood in the background, awaiting developments. Flight was
now impossible.

The announcement fell flat. There was nothing but horror upon the five
silent faces that confronted William. He made a last desperate effort.

"He's bin in the war," he pleaded. "He's--killed folks."