g we have been and have done,
and still are and still have: except of course poor not-at-all-model
Kitty."

To this luminous account of the matter Lady Sand-gate turned as to a
genial sun-burst. "I see indeed--for the general immaculate connection."

The words had no note of irony, but Lady Grace, in her great
seriousness, glanced with deprecation at the possibility. "Well, we
_haven't_ had false notes. We've scarcely even had bad moments."

"Yes, you've been beatific!"--Lady Sandgate enviously, quite ruefully,
felt it. But any further treatment of the question was checked by the
re-entrance of the footman--a demonstration explained by the concomitant
appearance of a young man in eyeglasses and with the ends of his
trousers clipped together as for cycling. "This must be your friend,"
she had only time to say to the daughter of the house; with which, alert
and reminded of how she was awaited elsewhere, she retreated before her
companion's visitor, who had come in with his guide from the vestibule.
She passed away to the terrace and the gardens, Mr. Hugh Crimble's
announced name ringing in her ears--to some effect that we are as yet
not qualified to discern.

IV

Lady Grace had turned to meet Mr. Hugh Crimble, whose pleasure in at
once finding her lighted his keen countenance and broke into easy words.
"So awfully kind of you--in the midst of the great doings I noticed--to
have found a beautiful minute for me."

"I left the great doings, which are almost over, to every one's relief,
I think," the girl returned, "so that your precious time shouldn't be
taken to hunt for me."

It was clearly for him, on this bright answer, as if her white hand
were holding out the perfect flower of felicity. "You came in from your
revels on purpose--with the same charity you showed me from that first
moment?" They stood smiling at each other as in an exchange of sympathy
already confessed--and even as if finding that their relation had grown
during the lapse of contact; she recognising the effect of what they had
originally felt as bravely as he might name it. What the fine, slightly
long oval of her essentially quiet face--quiet in spite of certain vague
depths of reference to forces of the strong high order, forces involved
and implanted, yet also rather spent in the process--kept in range
from under her redundant black hat was the strength of expression, the
directness of communication, that her guest appeared to borrow fro