een in England several times. She has known a great
many English people."

"But you must have known some, too," said Lord Lambeth.

"I don't think that I have ever spoken to one before. You are the first
Englishman that--to my knowledge--I have ever talked with."

Bessie Alden made this statement with a certain gravity--almost, as it
seemed to Lord Lambeth, an impressiveness. Attempts at impressiveness
always made him feel awkward, and he now began to laugh and swing his
stick. "Ah, you would have been sure to know!" he said. And then he
added, after an instant, "I'm sorry I am not a better specimen."

The young girl looked away; but she smiled, laying aside her
impressiveness. "You must remember that you are only a beginning," she
said. Then she retraced her steps, leading the way back to the lawn,
where they saw Mrs. Westgate come toward them with Percy Beaumont still
at her side. "Perhaps I shall go to England next year," Miss Alden
continued; "I want to, immensely. My sister is going to Europe, and she
has asked me to go with her. If we go, I shall make her stay as long as
possible in London."

"Ah, you must come in July," said Lord Lambeth. "That's the time when
there is most going on."

"I don't think I can wait till July," the young girl rejoined. "By the
first of May I shall be very impatient." They had gone further, and Mrs.
Westgate and her companion were near them. "Kitty," said Miss Alden,
"I have given out that we are going to London next May. So please to
conduct yourself accordingly."

Percy Beaumont wore a somewhat animated--even a slightly irritated--air.
He was by no means so handsome a man as his cousin, although in his
cousin's absence he might have passed for a striking specimen of the
tall, muscular, fair-bearded, clear-eyed Englishman. Just now Beaumont's
clear eyes, which were small and of a pale gray color, had a rather
troubled light, and, after glancing at Bessie Alden while she spoke,
he rested them upon his kinsman. Mrs. Westgate meanwhile, with her
superfluously pretty gaze, looked at everyone alike.

"You had better wait till the time comes," she said to her sister.
"Perhaps next May you won't care so much about London. Mr. Beaumont
and I," she went on, smiling at her companion, "have had a tremendous
discussion. We don't agree about anything. It's perfectly delightful."

"Oh, I say, Percy!" exclaimed Lord Lambeth.

"I disagree," said Beaumont, stroking down his back hair, "even