the stairs which she heard long before it reached him,
and, in a moment, she was in her chair. He looked at her, and there was
no trace of a tear. "It's Houghton," she said, putting her finger up to
her mouth with almost a comic gesture. There was a smile in her eyes,
and a little mockery of fear in the trembling of her hand and the
motion of her lips. To him it seemed to be tragic enough. He had to
assume to this gentleman whom he had been injuring a cordial friendly
manner,--and thus to lie to him. He had to make pretences, and at a
moment's notice to feign himself something very different from what he
was. Had the man come a little more quickly, had the husband caught him
with the wife at his knees, nothing could have saved him and his own
wife from utter misery. So he felt it to be, and the feeling almost
overwhelmed him. His heart palpitated with emotion as the wronged
husband's hand was on the door. She, the while, was as thoroughly
composed as a stage heroine. But she had flattered him and pretended to
love him, and it did not occur to him that he ought to be angry with
her. "Who would ever think of seeing you at this time of day?" said
Mrs. Houghton.

"Well, no; I'm going back to the club in a few minutes. I had to come
up to Piccadilly to have my hair cut!"

"Your hair cut!"

"Honour bright! Nothing upsets me so much as having my hair cut. I'm
going to ring for a glass of sherry. By the bye, Lord George, a good
many of them are talking at the club about young Popenjoy."

"What are they saying?" Lord George felt that he must open his mouth,
but did not wish to talk to this man, and especially did not wish to
talk about his own affairs.

"Of course I know nothing about it; but surely the way Brotherton has
come back is very odd. I used to be very fond of your brother, you
know. There was nobody her father used to swear by so much as him. But,
by George, I don't know what to make of it now. Nobody has seen the
Marchioness!"

"I have not seen her," said Lord George; "but she is there all the same
for that."

"Nobody doubts that she's there. She's there, safe enough. And the boy
is there too. We're all quite sure of that. But you know the Marquis of
Brotherton is somebody."

"I hope so," said Lord George.

"And when he brings his wife home people will expect,--will expect to
know something about it;--eh?" All this was said with an intention of
taking Lord George's part in a question which was already be