" he said, bowing to the French actress and raising her
fingers to his lips, "there is no one who does not know Madame Selarne.
Lady Patrick, we have met before, haven't we? I am going to see your
husband in his new play the first night I am allowed out. Mr. Daniell
I have met, and Lord Romsey may perhaps do me the honour of remembering
me," he added, shaking hands with the Cabinet Minister.

He turned to face Geraldine Conyers, who had been watching him with
interest. Lady Anselman at once introduced them.

"I know that you haven't met Miss Conyers because she has been asking
about you. This is my nephew Ronnie, Geraldine. I hope that you will be
friends."

The girl murmured something inaudible as she shook hands. The young
soldier looked at her for a moment. His manner became almost serious.

"I hope so, too," he said quietly.

"Olive, come and make friends with my nephew if you can spare a moment
from your young man," Lady Anselman continued. "Captain Granet--Miss
Olive Moreton. And this is Geraldine's brother--Lieutenant Conyers."

The two men shook hands pleasantly. Lady Anselman glanced at the clock
and turned briskly towards the corridor.

"And now, I think," she announced, "luncheon."

As she moved forward, she was suddenly conscious of the man who had been
talking to Madame Selarne. He had drawn a little on one side and he was
watching the young soldier with a curious intentness. She turned back to
her nephew and touched him on the arm.

"Ronnie," she said, "I don't know whether you have met Surgeon-Major
Thomson in France? Major Thomson, this is my nephew, Captain Granet."

Granet turned at once and offered his hand to the other man. Only
Geraldine Conyers, who was a young woman given to noticing things,
and who had also reasons of her own for being interested, observed the
rather peculiar scrutiny with which each regarded the other. Something
which might almost have been a challenge seemed to pass from one to the
other.

"I may not have met you personally," Granet admitted, "but if you are
the Surgeon-Major Thomson who has been doing such great things with
the Field Hospitals at the front, then like nearly every poor crock out
there I owe you a peculiar debt of gratitude. You are the man I mean,
aren't you?" the young soldier concluded cordially.

Major Thomson bowed, and a moment later they all made their way along
the corridor, across the restaurant, searched for their names on the
cards and t