the card-tables, a
lonely pair. It had been Sir Lionel's cue this evening to select Miss
Todd for his special attentions; but he had found Miss Todd at the
present moment to be too much a public character for his purposes.
She had a sort of way of speaking to all her guests at once, which
had doubtless on the whole an extremely hilarious effect, but which
was not flattering to the _amour propre_ of a special admirer. So,
_faute de mieux_, Sir Lionel was content to sit down in a corner with
Miss Baker. Miss Baker was also content; but she was rather uneasy as
to how she should treat the subject of Caroline's quarrel with her
lover.

"Of course you saw George to-day?" she began.

"Yes, I did see him; but that was all. He seemed to be in a
tremendous hurry, and said he must be back in town to-night. He's not
staying, is he?"

"No; he's not staying."

"I didn't know: when I saw that dear Caroline was not with you, I
thought she might perhaps have better company at home."

"She was not very well. George went back to London before dinner."

"Nothing wrong, I hope?"

"Well, no; I hope not. That is--you haven't heard anything about it,
have you, Sir Lionel?"

"Heard anything! No, I have heard nothing; what is it?"

It may be presumed that such a conversation as this had not been
carried on in a very loud tone; but, nevertheless, low as Miss Baker
had spoken, low as Sir Lionel had spoken, it had been too loud. They
had chosen their places badly. The table at which Lady Ruth and
her party were sitting--we ought rather to say, Miss Ruff and her
party--was in one corner of the room, and our friends had placed
themselves on a cushioned seat fixed against the wall in this very
corner. Things were still going badly with Miss Ruff. As Sindbad
carried the old man, and could not shake him off, so did Miss Ruff
still carry Lady Ruth Revoke; and the weight was too much for her.

She manfully struggled on, however--womanfully would perhaps be a
stronger and more appropriate word. She had to calculate not only how
to play her own hand correctly, but she had also to calculate on her
partner's probable errors. This was hard work, and required that all
around her should be undisturbed and silent. In the midst of a maze
of uncontrollable difficulties, the buzz buzz of Miss Baker's voice
fell upon her ears, and up she rose from her chair.

"Miss Todd," she said, and Miss Todd, looking round from a
neighbouring table, shone upon he