g a man's throat with her strong little hand,
and gently turning his head from east to west. At this point Miss
Thangue rose impatiently and rang a bell. Jack's career was almost at
the flood. No woman could submerge his intellect and stupendous
interests for more than a moment.

"Order lights and have your trunks brought up," she said. "I will send
one of the housemaids to help you dress. My room is over on the other
side of the house--go through that door opposite, and down a corridor
until you come to another long hall and staircase like the one on this
side. You will find my name on the door. Knock at about a quarter-past
eight and I will go down with you. Vicky may be in an angelic humor and
she may not. It depends mainly upon whether Jack condescends to turn up.
I suppose you know all about him; it would hardly do for you to face him
and his mother if you didn't. He has travelled quite exhaustively in the
colonies and given us some of the most informing literature on that
subject that we have. He was out in Africa when the Boer War broke out,
and once before in India, when there was fighting, volunteered both
times and did brilliant service. He has no end of medals with clasps.
Then he suddenly went in for politics and announced himself an
uncompromising Liberal. It nearly killed his grandfather--Lord
Strathland--for Jack is the one person on earth that he loves as much as
himself; and it has alienated many of his relatives on both sides--which
gave him one more chance to win against terrific odds; he enjoys that
sort of thing. He had been in but two years when there was a general
election, and he has only just got back--he contested three divisions
before he won his seat this time, and he had almost as hard a fight
before. Vicky, who hates the Gwynnes, with the exception of Lord Zeal,
the heir, besides believing in Jack as you would in Solomon, has
steadily upheld him; and she is a powerful ally--not only one of the
most distinguished of the political women, but still turns heads when
she chooses, and her game is generally in the cabinet preserves, when it
is not in the diplomatic. I must run. Put on your most fetching gown.
Julia Kaye, a detestable little parvenu, is here. Jack is in love with
her and she has chosen another. It will be a cousinly duty to console
him. Then you can turn him over to some one else. Ta, ta!" Her last
words floated back from the depths of the corridor; a clock was striking
and she had