and Lady Evenswood wore an air of
gratified contentment. She stared at them.

"It went off better than I expected," said he.

"It must be one of Robert's good days," said she.

"But--but----" gasped the Imp.

"He was very civil for him. He must mean to think about it, about
something of the sort anyhow," Southend explained. "I shouldn't wonder
if it had been in his mind," he added to Lady Evenswood.

"Neither should I. At any rate he took it splendidly. I almost wish we'd
spoken of the marriage."

"Couldn't you write to him?"

"He wouldn't read it, George."

"Telegraph then!"

"It would really be worth trying--considering how he took it." Lady
Evenswood did not seem able to get over the Prime Minister's
extraordinary affability.

"Well, if he treats you like that--great people like you--and you're
pleased, thank goodness I never met him alone!" Mina was not shy with
them any more; she had suffered worse.

They glanced at one another.

"It was you, my dear. He'd have been more difficult with us," said Lady
Evenswood.

"You interested him," Southend assured her.

"Yes, if anything's been done, you've done it."

They seemed quite sincere. That feeling of being on her head instead of
her heels came over Mina again.

"I shouldn't be a bit surprised if he sent for Harry."

"No, nor if he arranged to meet Cecily Gainsborough--Cecily Tristram, I
mean."

"I thought he looked--well, as if he was hit--when you mentioned Addie."

"Oh, there's really no telling with Robert. It went off very well
indeed. What a lucky thing he came!"

Still bewildered, Mina began, all the same, to assimilate this
atmosphere of contentment and congratulation.

"Do you really think I--I had anything to do with it?" she asked, a new
pride swelling in her heart.

"Yes, yes, you attracted his attention."

"He was amused at you, my dear."

"Then I'm glad." She meant that her sufferings would perhaps not go
unrecompensed.

"You must bring Lady Tristram to see me," said Lady Evenswood.

"Cecily? Oh--well, I'll try."

Lady Evenswood smiled and Southend laughed outright. It was not quite
the way in which Lady Evenswood's invitations were generally received.
But neither of them liked Mina less.

It was something to go back to the tiny house between the King's and
Fulham Road with the record of such adventures as these. Cecily was
there, languid and weary; she had spent the whole day in that hammock in
the strip of garden in