duly called
attention.

"The large red morocco case."

Lady Sandgate fairly jumped at it. "Your blessed cheque-book. Lay it on
my desk," she said to Gotch, though waiting till he had departed again
before she resumed to her visitor: "Mightn't we conclude before he
comes?"

"The Prince?" Mr. Bender's imagination had strayed from the ground to
which she sought to lead it back, and it but vaguely retraced its steps.
"Will _he_ want your great-grandmother?"

"Well, he may when he sees her!" Lady Sandgate laughed. "And Theign,
when he comes, will give you on his own question, I feel sure, every
information. Shall I fish it out for you?" she encouragingly asked,
beside him by her secretary-desk, at which he had arrived under her
persuasive guidance and where she sought solidly to establish him,
opening out the gilded crimson case for his employ, so that he had but
to help himself. "What enormous cheques! _You_ can never draw one for
two-pound-ten!"

"That's exactly what you deserve I _should_ do!" He remained after this
solemnly still, however, like some high-priest circled with ceremonies;
in consonance with which, the next moment, both her hands held out to
him the open and immaculate page of the oblong series much as they might
have presented a royal infant at the christening-font.

He failed, in his preoccupation, to receive it; so she placed it before
him on the table, coming away with a brave gay "Well, I leave it to
you!" She had not, restlessly revolving, kept her discreet distance
for many minutes before she found herself almost face to face with the
recurrent Gotch, upright at the door with a fresh announcement.

"Mr. Crimble, please--for Lady Grace."

"Mr. Crimble _again?_"--she took it discomposedly.

It reached Mr. Bender at the secretary, but to a different effect. "Mr.
Crimble? Why he's just the man I want to see!"

Gotch, turning to the lobby, had only to make way for him. "Here he is,
my lady."

"Then tell her ladyship."

"She has come down," said Gotch while Hugh arrived and his companion
withdrew, and while Lady Grace, reaching the scene from the other
quarter, emerged in bright equipment--in her hat, scarf and gloves.

IV

These young persons were thus at once confronted across the room, and
the girl explained her preparation. "I was listening hard--for your
knock and your voice."

"Then know that, thank God, it's all right!"--Hugh was breathless,
jubilant, radiant.

"A Mantov