s.

Jasper Vermont, who had followed him back to town by the first train
obtainable, called in at Jermyn Court, and found him pacing up and down
the room, more troubled and unhappy than he had ever been in the whole
course of his pampered, shielded life. Vermont listened and sympathised,
and stabbed afresh, with his artful accounts of Lady Constance's anger
at the fancied slight. He was altogether delighted at the way in which
things had turned out, though he did not know how Fortune had aided him
still more at Waterloo Station.

On the following morning Leroy received a cypher note from Lady
Merivale, saying that she had arrived home safely, and unnoticed; and,
with a sigh of relief, he turned his attention to his own affairs. To
Jasper's supreme annoyance, he insisted on going through a pile of
papers which Vermont had only meant him to sign; and to that gentleman's
chagrin he actually dared to interfere in the matter of rents and
leases; which proceeding, naturally, did not tend to make Jasper feel
the more kindly disposed to the world in general, and Adrien Leroy in
particular.

When he had taken his departure, Adrien ordered the motor, and drove
down to Barminster with the intention of offering an apology for his
seeming discourtesy. He found all in confusion and excitement in view of
the coming ball; and, whether by accident or design, he found it
impossible to get a single word with Constance alone.

The two ladies received the explanation of his absence--a river-trip
with a friend--with chilling indifference. To Miss Penelope nothing was
of any importance except the decorations of the banqueting hall, while
Lady Constance had the evidence of her own eyesight. He was compelled,
therefore, to return to London the next day in the same unhappy state of
mind. To distract his thoughts, he threw himself heart and soul into the
preparations for the festive event; and even Jasper Vermont himself
could not have worked harder.

The announcement of the fancy dress ball to be held at Barminster had
made something like a sensation; for not only was the magnificence of
the Castle well known, but the fact that it was so seldom used for
festivities of any kind lent importance to the occasion, and had roused
society, both in town and country, to the height of expectancy.

Preparations were carried on apace. The whole Castle was to be lighted
and decorated, regardless of expense, while even the servants' dresses
were to be