he dashed me off this
brief and rapid, but quite conclusive, Declaration, which, if you'll be
so good as to read it, will enable you perhaps to join us in regarding
the vexed question as settled."

His lordship, having faced this speech without a sign, rested on the
speaker a somewhat more confessed intelligence, then looked hard at
the offered note and hard at the floor--all to avert himself actively
afterward and, with his head a good deal elevated, add to his distance,
as it were, from every one and everything so indelicately thrust on
his attention. This movement had an ambiguous makeshift air, yet his
companions, under the impression of it, exchanged a hopeless look. His
daughter none the less lifted her voice. "If you won't take what he has
for you from Mr. Crimble, father, will you take it from me?" And then as
after some apparent debate he appeared to decide to heed her, "It may be
so long again," she said, "before you've a chance to do a thing I ask."

"The chance will depend on yourself!" he returned with high dry
emphasis. But he held out his hand for the note Hugh had given her and
with which she approached him; and though face to face they seemed more
separated than brought near by this contact without commerce. She turned
away on one side when he had taken the missive, as Hugh had turned away
on the other; Lord Theign drew forth the contents of the envelope and
broodingly and inexpressively read the few lines; after which, as having
done justice to their sense, he thrust the paper forth again till his
daughter became aware and received it. She restored it to her friend
while her father dandled off anew, but coming round this time, almost as
by a circuit of the room, and meeting Hugh, who took advantage of it to
repeat by a frank gesture his offer of Bardi's attestation. Lord Theign
passed with the young man on this a couple of mute minutes of the same
order as those he had passed with Lady Grace in the same connection;
their eyes dealt deeply with their eyes--but to the effect of his
lordship's accepting the gift, which after another minute he had slipped
into his breast-pocket. It was not till then that he brought out a curt
but resonant "Thank you!" While the others awaited his further pleasure
he again bethought himself--then he addressed Lady Grace. "I must let
Mr. Bender know----"

"Mr. Bender," Hugh interposed, "does know. He's at the present moment
with the author of that note at Long's Hotel."