heir lives. Whether this moment was going to be
tiresome or not she could not yet decide.

The Wolfstein party had come in at the same time as the Leo Ulfords,
and the box opposite presented an interesting study of Jewish types.
For Mrs. Wolfstein and "Henry" were accompanied by four immensely
rich compatriots, three of whom were members of the syndicate that was
"backing" Miss Schley. The fourth was the wife of one of them, and a
cousin of Henry's, whom she resembled, but on a greatly enlarged
scale. Both she and Amalia blazed with jewels, and both were slightly
overdressed and looked too animated. Lady Holme saw Sir Donald glance at
them, and then again at her, and began to think more definitely that the
evening would not be tiresome.

Leo Ulford seemed at present forced into a certain constraint by the
family element in the box. He looked at his father sideways, then at
Lady Holme, drummed one hand on his knee, and was evidently uncertain of
himself. During the opening scene of the play he found an opportunity to
whisper to Lady Holme:

"I never can talk when pater's there!"

She whispered back:

"We mustn't talk now."

Then she looked towards the stage with apparent interest. Mrs. Leo sat
sideways with her trumpet lifted up towards her ear, Lord Holme had
his eyes fixed on the stage, and held his hands ready for the "rousin'
welcome." Mr. Laycock, at the end of the row, was also all attention.
Lady Holme glanced from one to the other, and murmured to Sir Donald
with a smile:

"I think we shall find to-night that the claque is not abolished in
England."

He raised his eyebrows and looked distressed.

"I have very little hope of her acting," he murmured back.

Lady Holme put her fan to her lips.

"'Sh! No sacrilege!" she said in an under voice.

She saw Leo Ulford shoot an angry glance at his father. Mrs. Wolfstein
nodded and smiled at her from the opposite box, and it struck Lady Holme
that her smile was more definitely malicious than usual, and that her
large black eyes were full of a sort of venomous anticipation. Mrs.
Wolfstein had at all times an almost frightfully expressive face.
To-night it had surely discarded every shred of reticence, and
proclaimed an eager expectation of something which Lady Holme could not
divine, but which must surely be very disagreeable to her. What could it
possibly be? And was it in any way connected with Miss Schley's anxiety
that she should be there that night? She