at which Pollyooly and the Lump should come, and
then the Honourable John Ruffin held out his hand.

But Hilary Vance rose and came to the front door with him. On the
threshold he coughed gently and said:

"I should like you to see Flossie."

"Flossie?" said the Honourable John Ruffin. "Ah--the WOMAN." He looked
at Hilary Vance very earnestly. "Yes, I see--I see--of course her name
would be Flossie." Then he added sternly:

"No; if I saw her James might accuse me of having encouraged you. He
would, in fact. He always does."

"She's only at the florist's just at the end of the street," said Hilary
Vance in a persuasive tone.

"She would be," said the Honourable John Ruffin in a tone of
extraordinary patience. "I don't know why it is that the WOMAN is so
often at a florist's at the end of the street. It seems to be one of
nature's strange whims." His face grew very gloomy again and in a very
sad tone he added:

"Good-bye, poor old chap; good-bye!"

He shook hands firmly with his puzzled friend and started briskly up the
street. Ten yards up it he paused, turned and called back:

"She's everything that's womanly, isn't she?"

"Yes--everything," cried Hilary Vance with fervour.

The Honourable John Ruffin shook his head sadly and without another word
walked briskly on.

Hilary Vance, still looking puzzled, shut the door and went back to his
studio. He failed, therefore, to perceive the Honourable John Ruffin
enter the florist's shop at the end of the street. He did not come out
of it for a quarter of an hour, and then he came out smiling. Seeing
that he only brought with him a single rose, he had taken some time over
its selection.

CHAPTER II

HILARY VANCE FINDS A CONFIDANTE

That afternoon, when Pollyooly was helping him pack his portmanteau for
his journey to Buda-Pesth, the Honourable John Ruffin told her of the
arrangement he had made with Hilary Vance, that she and the Lump should
spend the time till his return at the studio at Chelsea.

Pollyooly's face brightened; and there was something of the joy which
warriors feel in foemen worthy of their steel in the tone in which she
said:

"Thank you, sir. I shall like that. It will be a change for the Lump;
and I've always wanted to know what that studio would look like if once
it were properly cleaned. That Mrs. Thomas who works for Mr. Vance
does let it get so dirty."

"Yes; I told Mr. Vance that I was sure that you'd get th