she exclaimed further, though as more particularly for
herself, "our having suddenly incurred this immense debt to him!"

"Oh, I shall pay Mr. Crimble!" said her father, who had turned round.

The whole question appeared to have provoked in Lord John a rise of
spirits and a flush of humour. "Don't you let him stick it on."

His host, however, bethinking himself, checked him. "Go _you_ to Mr.
Bender straight!"

Lord John saw the point. "Yes--till he leaves. But I shall find you
here, shan't I?" he asked with all earnestness of Lady Grace.

She had an hesitation, but after a look at her father she assented.
"I'll wait for you."

"Then _a tantot!_" It made him show for happy as, waving his hand at
her, he proceeded to seek Mr. Bender in presence of the object that most
excited that gentleman's appetite--to say nothing of the effect involved
on Lord John's own.

IX

Lord Theign, when he had gone, revolved--it might have been
nervously--about the place a little, but soon broke ground. "He'll have
told you, I understand, that I've promised to speak to you for him. But
I understand also that he has found something to say for himself."

"Yes, we talked--a while since," the girl said. "At least _he_ did."

"Then if you listened I hope you listened with a good grace."

"Oh, he speaks very well--and I've never disliked him."

It pulled her father up. "Is that _all_--when I think so much of him?"

She seemed to say that she had, to her own mind, been liberal and gone
far; but she waited a little. "Do you think very, _very_ much?"

"Surely I've made my good opinion clear to you!"

Again she had a pause. "Oh yes, I've seen you like him and believe in
him--and I've found him pleasant and clever."

"He has never had," Lord Theign more or less ingeniously explained,
"what I call a real show." But the character under discussion could
after all be summed up without searching analysis. "I consider
nevertheless that there's plenty in him."

It was a moderate claim, to which Lady Grace might assent. "He strikes
me as naturally quick and--well, nice. But I agree with you than he
hasn't had a chance."

"Then if you can see your way by sympathy and confidence to help him to
one I dare say you'll find your reward."

For a third time she considered, as if a certain curtness in her
companion's manner rather hindered, in such a question, than helped.
Didn't he simplify too much, you would have felt her ask, and wasn't