please, Madam," said Antony gravely.

The meal proceeded in dead silence.

"Mr. Gray," said the Duchessa suddenly.

"My name," said Antony respectfully, "is Michael Field."

The Duchessa gave a little shaky laugh.

"Well, Michael Field," she said. "I was not very kind that day I met you
on the moorland."

Antony kept his eyes fixed on his plate.

"There was no reason that you should be kind," he replied quietly.

"There was," flashed the Duchessa.

"I think not," replied Antony, calmly. "Ladies in your position are under
no obligation to be kind to servants, except to those of their own
household. Even then, it is more or less of a condescension on their
part."

"You were not always a servant," said the Duchessa.

There was the fraction of a pause.

"I did not happen to be actually in a situation when I was on the _Fort
Salisbury_, if that is what you mean, Madam," returned Antony.

"I mean more than that," retorted the Duchessa. "I mean that by your
up-bringing you are not a servant."

Antony laughed shortly.

"I happen to have had a better education than falls to the lot of most
men who have been in the positions I have been in, and who are in
positions like my present one. But most assuredly I am a servant."

"What positions have you been in?" demanded the Duchessa.

A very faint smile showed itself on Antony's face.

"I have been a sort of miner's boy," he replied slowly. "I have been a
farm hand, mainly used for cleaning out pigsties, and that kind of work.
I have been servant in a gambling saloon; odd man on a cattle boat. I
have worked on a farm again. And now I am an under-gardener. Very
assuredly I have been, and am, a servant."

The Duchessa's brows wrinkled. "Yet you speak like a gentleman, and--and
you wore dress clothes as if you were used to them."

Again a faint smile showed itself on Antony's face.

"I told you I happen to have had a decent education in my youth. Also, I
would suggest, that even butlers and waiters wear dress clothes as if
they were used to them."

Once more there was a silence. A rather long silence this time. It was
broken by the Duchessa's voice.

"Some months ago," she said, "I offered my friendship to Antony Gray; I
now offer that same friendship to Michael Field."

Antony gave a little laugh. There was an odd gleam in his eyes.

"Michael Field regrets that he must decline the honour."

The Duchessa's face went dead white.

Antony got to his feet.