person
of increasing consideration and influence.

"You seem very busy, Lady Chaloner," he said, as he looked at the sheets
of paper on the table by her.

"We are gettin' up a bazaar," Lady Chaloner said. "Will you help us?"

"I shall be delighted," said Pateley obviously. "What do you want me to
do?"

"Give us your autograph," said the Princess promptly, "and we will sell
it for large sums of gold."

She had certainly chosen a skilful way of enlisting Pateley's
co-operation. He revelled in the joy of being a political potentate, and
every fresh proof that he received of the fact was another delight to
him.

"I shall be greatly honoured," he said.

"We are going to have autographs of all the distinguished people we can
find," said the Princess, continuing her system of ingratiation.

"I can tell you of an autograph who has just arrived," said Pateley. "I
have just seen him driving up from the station; a very expensive
autograph indeed--Lord Stamfordham."

"Lord Stamfordham?" said Lady Chaloner, the Foreign Secretary, like the
rest of the world, falling instantly into his place in her kaleidescope.
"Certainly, if he would give us a dozen autographs we should do an
excellent business with them."

"You had better make Adela Prestige ask him, then," said the Princess
with a laugh.

"I wonder where Adela is?" said Lady Chaloner, considering the question
entirely on its merits.

"That depends upon where Lord Stamfordham is," murmured the Princess to
her companion. "By the way, Lady Chaloner, before we part, it is
Tuesday, isn't it, that we make our expedition to Waldlust to lunch in
the wood?"

"Tuesday?--let me see, this is Thursday. Yes, I think so," said Lady
Chaloner. Then she gave a cry of dismay. "Oh! no, Maddy, Tuesday is the
bazaar; that will never do."

"Oh, yes," said the Princess, "all the better. The bazaar doesn't open
till half-past five after all, and we can lunch at half-past twelve. It
will do us good to be in the fresh air before our labours begin; we
shall look all the better for it."

"Very well," said Lady Chaloner dubiously. "But then what about the
arrangements?"

"Can't those be made on Monday?" said the Princess; "and if there are
any finishing touches required, Mrs. Birkett and her friends can do them
on Tuesday. They won't want to look their best, I daresay," and she
laughed again.

"Very well," said Lady Chaloner. "Tuesday, then, for Waldlust. I will
ask Lord Stamfordham t