ing her?"

Mr. Coxon's wishes were fulfilled to the moment. The door opened and
Alicia came in. On seeing him she stopped.

"Come in, Alicia," said Lady Eynesford. "Here's Mr. Coxon come to be
congratulated."

Coxon stood up with a propitiatory smile.

"How do you do, Mr. Coxon?" said Alicia, giving him a limp hand. "Shall
I ring for tea, Mary?"

"They'll bring it. You haven't wished him joy."

"Oh, are you in the new Ministry?"

"I have that honour, Miss Derosne. I hope you are on our side?"

"I don't quite know which side you are on--now," observed Alicia, in
slow but distinct tones.

Coxon grew red.

"I--I have joined Sir Robert Perry's Ministry," he answered.

"Of course he has, Alicia," interposed Lady Eynesford hastily.

Alicia seated herself on the sofa, remarking as she did so,

"Well, you do change a good deal, don't you?"

"Really, Miss Derosne," he stammered, "I don't understand you."

"Oh, I only mean that you were first with Sir Robert, then with Mr.
Medland, and now with Sir Robert again! And presently with Mr. Medland
again, I suppose?"

"She doesn't appreciate the political reasons," began Lady Eynesford,
with troubled brow and smiling lips; but Coxon, frowning angrily, broke
in,

"Not the last, I promise you, anyhow, Miss Derosne."

"What, you think he's finally beaten then?"

"That's not the question. Beaten or not, he is discredited, and no
respectable man would act with him."

"We needn't discuss--" began Lady Eynesford again, but this time Alicia
was the interrupter. She spoke in a cold, hard way, very unlike her own.

"If he won, you would all be at his feet."

Coxon was justified in being angry at her almost savage scorn of him;
regardless of anything except his wrong, he struck back the sharpest
blow he could.

"I know some people are very ready to be at his feet," he said, with a
sneering smile.

His shaft hit the mark. Alicia flushed and sat speechless. A glance at
Lady Eynesford's face told him the scene had lasted too long: he rose
and took his leave, paying Alicia the homage of a bow, but not seeking
her hand. She took no notice of his salute, and Lady Eynesford only
gasped "Good-bye."

The two sat silent for some moments after he had gone; then Lady
Eynesford remarked,

"Were you mad, Alicia? See what you laid yourself open to! Oh, of course
a gentleman wouldn't have said it, but you yourself didn't treat him as
if he was a gentleman. Really, I can make a