"

"I am listening most attentively, my dear."

"Uncle Peter, you know Mr. Holroyd,--Mr. Mark Holroyd, I mean, not his
brother Dick."

"I can't say I know him very well, my dear. He has called several times,
to be sure, and dined with us once. We have dined at General Holroyd's
twice, I think, when Mark was present. I believe he has made three
remarks to me: first, that Cambridge was slow; second, that he liked a
Doherty racket best,--I think it was a Doherty he preferred; and third,
that the Halls, this month, were--'rather.'"

Phyllis's smile comprehended and confirmed

"But he is very nice, Uncle Peter."

"I have no doubt of it," said Sir Peter. "His father is one of the
finest men I have ever known; his mother was a Churchill. Is Mark to
read for the Bar?"

"Y-e-es," said Phyllis doubtfully. "I hope so. Oh! Uncle Peter, last
night, in the hall----"

"In the hall, eh?" interrupted Sir Peter.

"Yes, dear, in the hall. He--he proposed to me. I told him I had never
thought of him in that way at all. And----"

"I should hope not," said Sir Peter. He liked Mark well enough, but
there was plenty of time. And he made a mental memorandum to keep his
eye on the hall thereafter.

"And, oh! Uncle Peter, he said the light had gone out of his life, and
that he could never get over such a crushing blow, and that he wished he
was--Uncle Peter, they--they always do get over it, don't they?"

"In no time at all," replied Sir Peter briskly, and helped himself to
toast. There was a pause.

"Still, I doubt if Mr. Holroyd will get over it as quickly as that,"
said Phyllis thoughtfully.

"Haberdashers are a very present help in time of trouble," Sir Peter
assured her. "They are a great comfort to young men in Mark's
situation."

When she kissed him good-bye for the day, he said:--

"My little girl must wait a long while and meet many young men before
she finally--er--finally--you know,--eh?"

But on that very afternoon she went with her friend, the Hon. Margaret
Neville, to visit Saint Ruth's Social Settlement, in Whitechapel. And
there she met John Landless. The Honorable Margaret introduced them.

"Hullo, Mr. Landless--oh! Miss Oglebay--Mr. Landless. It's her first
time here. Show her about a bit like a good chap, will you, while I look
for to see what my angel children's sewing-class is doing so blithely,
blithely?"

John Landless looked at Phyllis, and Phyllis looked at John. If there is
ever love at first si