ve a dinner
for us in the House the other night and got Ganpy a seat in the
Stranger's Gallery. He couldn't get us into the Ladies' Gallery
because of the silly rule about only wives and sisters or near
relations made since the suffragette fusses, but he showed us all about
and it was simply fascinating. Of course Grannie met lots of members
she knew, and we enjoyed ourselves awfully. We are going to tea on the
Terrace next week. The dance at the Shop was ripping, and you needn't
think I only danced with cadets. I danced with majors and colonels,
and a beautiful captain in the Argyle and Sutherland, but I've come to
the conclusion that the jolliest thing is to be Ganpy's wife on these
occasions. You never saw such court as gets paid to Grannie. She
never has a dull minute.

"Grantly went home on Sat. just for the night, and he says it's all too
beautiful for words. Sometimes I feel wicked to be missing it, and I
get homesick for mother and the children; but I do enjoy it all. When
are you coming up to play about too? You stern, industrious young man."

Reggie folded the letter and put it back in his pocket.

"So that's what old Willets was driving at," he thought. He leaned out
again to shake the ash out of his pipe. In the far east there was a
pearly streak. "Daylight," he muttered, "--and by Jove I see it."

CHAPTER XXV

"MEN'S MEAL, FIRST CALL"

Mrs Grantly was interested in Eloquent. He was quite unlike any of the
innumerable young men she had had to do with before. His simplicity
and directness appealed to her; she admired his high seriousness even
while she seemed to deride it, and though violently opposed to his
party, she shared that party's belief in his political future.

The General shook his head; not over what he and Mary called "Grannie's
infatuation for Mr Gallup," but over the possible results of this
friendliness and intimacy to Mr Gallup. For the General saw precisely
the same possibilities that Mr Ffolliot had seen, and didn't like what
he saw one whit better than did the Squire.

Eloquent never saw Mary alone. Generally he was wholly taken
possession of by Mrs Grantly, or such friends of hers as would be
bothered with him. Yet his golden dream was with him continually, and
in the dear oasis of his fancy he walked in an enchanted garden with
Mary. In his waking moments, his sane practical moments, he would
realise that it was sheer absurdity to imagine that she ever c