dinner, sir, with company, but I will call him if you
say so."

"No," returned Mr. Gryce; "show us into some room where we can be
comfortable and we will wait till he has finished."

The servant bowed, and stepping forward down the hall, opened the door
of a small and cosy room heavily hung with crimson curtains. "I will
let him know that you are here," said he, and vanished towards the
dining-room.

"I doubt if Mr. Blake will enjoy the latter half of his bill of fare as
much as the first," said I, drawing up one of the luxurious arm-chairs
to the side of my principal. "I wonder if he will break away from his
guests and come in here?"

"No; if I am not mistaken we shall find Mr. Blake a man of nerve. Not a
muscle of his face will show that he is disturbed."

"Well," said I, "I dread it."

Mr. Gryce looked about on the gorgeous walls and the rich old fashioned
furniture that surrounded him, and smiled one of his grimmest smiles.

"Well, you may," said he.

The next instant a servant stood in the doorway, bearing to our great
astonishment, a tray well set with decanter and glasses.

"Mr. Blake's compliments, gentlemen," said he, setting it down on the
table before us. "He hopes you will make yourselves at home and he will
see you as soon as possible."

The humph! of Mr. Gryce when the servant had gone would have done your
soul good, also the look he cast at the pretty Dresden Shepherdess on
the mantel-piece, as I reached out my hand towards the decanter. Somehow
it made me draw back.

"I think we had better leave his wine alone," said he.

And for half an hour we sat there, the wine untouched between us,
listening alternately to the sound of speech-making and laughter that
came from the dining-room, and the solemn ticking of the clock as it
counted out the seconds on the mantel-piece. Then the guests came in
from the table, filing before us past the open door on their way to
the parlors. They were all gentlemen of course--Mr. Blake never invited
ladies to his house--and gentlemen of well known repute. The dinner had
been given in honor of a certain celebrated statesman, and the character
of his guests was in keeping with that of the one thus complimented.

As they went by us gaily indulging in the jokes and light banter with
which such men season a social dinner, I saw Mr. Gryce's face grow sober
by many a shade; and when in the midst of it all, we heard the voice
of Mr. Blake rise in that courteous and m