't come out of that business
too well."

"Oh! as bad as that, was I? You don't think Mrs. Loveredge will object
to me?"

"I have asked her that. She's a dear, broad-minded girl. I've promised
not to leave you alone with Miss Montgomery, and Willis has had
instructions not to let you mix your drinks."

"I'd have liked to have been someone a trifle more respectable," grumbled
Peter.

"We rather wanted a duke," explained Joey, "and he was the only one that
fitted in all round."

The dinner a was a complete success. Tommy, entering into the spirit of
the thing, bought a new pair of open-work stockings and assumed a languid
drawl. Peter, who was growing forgetful, introduced her as the Lady
Alexandra; it did not seem to matter, both beginning with an A. She
greeted Lord Mount-Primrose as "Billy," and asked affectionately after
his mother. Joey told his raciest stories. The Duke of Warrington
called everybody by their Christian names, and seemed well acquainted
with Bohemian society--a more amiable nobleman it would have been
impossible to discover. The lady whose real name was not Miss Montgomery
sat in speechless admiration. The hostess was the personification of
gracious devotion.

Other little dinners, equally successful, followed. Joey's
acquaintanceship appeared to be confined exclusively to the higher
circles of the British aristocracy--with one exception: that of a German
baron, a short, stout gentleman, who talked English well, but with an
accent, and who, when he desired to be impressive, laid his right
forefinger on the right side of his nose and thrust his whole face
forward. Mrs. Loveredge wondered why her husband had not introduced them
sooner, but was too blissful to be suspicious. The Autolycus Club was
gradually changing its tone. Friends could no longer recognise one
another by the voice. Every corner had its solitary student practising
high-class intonation. Members dropped into the habit of addressing one
another as "dear chappie," and, discarding pipes, took to cheap cigars.
Many of the older _habitues_ resigned.

All might have gone well to the end of time if only Mrs. Loveredge had
left all social arrangements in the hands of her husband--had not sought
to aid his efforts. To a certain political garden-party, one day in the
height of the season, were invited Joseph Loveredge and Mrs. Joseph
Loveredge, his wife. Mr. Joseph Loveredge at the last moment found
himself unable to a