nd meddling impertinence! The prospect
was not pleasant, and yet Ingram, as he sat and thought over it that
evening, finally resolved to encounter all these dangers and wounds.
He could help Sheila in no other way. He was banished from her house.
Perhaps he might induce this American girl to release her captive and
give Lavender back to his own wife. What were a few twinges of one's
self-respect, or risks of a humiliating failure, compared with the
possibility of befriending Sheila in some small way?

Next morning he went early in to Whitehall, and about one o'clock in
the forenoon started off for Holland Park. He wore a tall hat, a black
frock-coat and yellow kid gloves. He went in a hansom, so that the
person who opened the door should know that he was not a brewer's
traveler. In this wise he reached Mrs. Kavanagh's house, which
Lavender had frequently pointed out to him in passing, about half-past
one, and with some internal tremors, but much outward calmness, went
up the broad stone steps.

A small boy in buttons opened the door.

"Is Mrs. Lorraine at home?"

"Yes, sir," said the boy.

It was the simplest thing in the world. In a couple of seconds he
found himself in a big drawing-room, and the youth had taken his card
up stairs. Ingram was not very sure whether his success, so far, was
due to the hansom, or to his tall hat, or to a silver-headed cane
which his grandfather had brought home from India. However, here he
was in the house, just like the hero of one of those fine old farces
of our youth, who jumps from the street into a strange drawing-room,
flirts with the maid, hides behind a screen, confronts the master, and
marries his daughter, all in half an hour, the most exacting unities
of time and place being faithfully observed.

Presently the door was opened, and a young lady, pale and calm and
sweet of face, approached him, and not only bowed to him, but held out
her hand.

"I have much pleasure in making your acquaintance, Mr. Ingram,"
she said, gently and somewhat slowly. "Mr. Lavender has frequently
promised to bring you to see us, for he has spoken to us so much about
you that we had begun to think we already knew you. Will you come with
me up stairs, that I may introduce you to mamma?"

Ingram had come prepared to state harsh truths bluntly, and was ready
to meet any sort of anger or opposition with a perfect frankness
of intention. But he certainly had not come prepared to find the
smart-ton