below stairs?" asked she, eagerly. "Show him in
immediately."

The next moment, a short, burly figure, in a travelling-dress, entered,
and, saluting her with a kiss on either cheek, unrolled his woollen
comforter, and displayed the pleasant, jocund features of Mr. Nicholas
Holmes.

"How well you are looking, papa!" said she. "I declare I think you grow
younger!"

"It's the good conscience, I suppose," said he, laughing. "That and a
good digestion help a man very far on his road through life. And how are
you, Loo?"

"As you see," said she, laughingly. "With some of those family gifts you
speak of, I rub on through the world tolerably well."

"You are not in mourning, I perceive. How is that?" asked he, looking at
the amber-colored silk of her dress.

"Not to-night, papa, for I was just dressing for a masked ball at the
Pergola, whither I was about to go on the sly, having given out that I
was suffering from headache, and could not leave my room."

"Fretting over poor Penthony, eh?" cried he, laughing.

"Well, of course that might also be inferred. Not but I have already got
over my violent grief. I am beginning to be what is technically called
'resigned.'"

"Which is, I believe, the stage of looking out for another!" laughed he
again.

She gave a little faint sigh, and went on with her dressing. "And what
news have you for me, papa? What is going on at home?"

"Nothing,--absolutely nothing, dear. You don't care for political news?"

[Illustration: 382]

"Not much. You know I had a surfeit of Downing Street once. By the way,
papa, only think of my meeting George!"

"Ogden,--George Odgen?"

"Yes, it was a strange accident. He came to fetch away a young lad that
happened to be stopping with us, and we met face to face--fortunately,
alone--in the garden."

"Very awkward that!" muttered he.

"So it was; and so he evidently felt it. By the way, how old he has
grown! George can't be more than--let me see--forty-six. Yes, he was
just forty-six on the 8th of August. You 'd guess him fully ten years
older."

"How did he behave? Did he recognize you and address you?"

"Yes; we talked a little,--not pleasantly, though. He evidently is not
forgiving in his nature, and you know he had never much tact,--except
official tact,--and so he was flurried and put out, and right glad to
get away."

"But there was no _eclat_,--no scandal?"

"Of course not. The whole incident did not occupy ten minutes."

"They 've