speech with a
nervous start and exclamation. The hall door opened with a loud bang
and a woman's noisy laugh could be heard as a pelter of high-heeled
shoes came along the tesselated hall and then the vision of a pretty
girl at the doorway, accompanied by a man and two women.

"Hallo, Jack! You are home before me, then."

"Bella, my dear, I must introduce you to an old friend of mine:
Meynell, my wife."

Bella bowed a little coldly.

"My sister, Mr. Meynell," she said, seeing that the doctor was
looking straight over Saidie's head. "My sister, Miss Saidie
Blackall; daresay you have seen her from the front before." Then,
looking towards the open door, "Come in, come in. Jack, I think you
have already met Mr. and Mrs. Doss."

Chetwynd looked terribly annoyed; but there was no choice left for
him but to extend his hand and mutter something to the effect that he
had not had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of his wife's
friends before.

"Glad to know you, sir--not one of us--not in the profession, I
think?"

"No--er--no," responded Chetwynd feebly.

"And the 'appier you, take my tip for it. The wear and tear of the
'alls, sir, no one but a pro can estimate."

Here his wife, an over-dressed, showy individual a shade more of a
cockney than himself, interposed with a coarse laugh.

"Get along, you jolly old humbug, you! You couldn't live away from
them--could he, dear?" addressing Saidie, who was maliciously
enjoying the effect that their sudden entrance had produced upon her
brother-in-law and his friend.

"Ah; you think so, d'ye? that's all you know about it. Give me a nice
quiet 'public' with a hold-established trade and me and the missis
cosy-like in the private bar; that's the life for yours truly when he
can take the farewell ben."

"How soon are your friends going to take their leave, Bella?" asked
Chetwynd in an undertone to his wife.

But Bella turned her back upon him without deigning to give him so
much as a word.

"I think I had the pleasure of seeing you perform the other night,
Mrs. Doss," remarked Mr. Meynell.

"Don't she look a figger in tights? now tell the truth and shame the
old gentleman: a female as fat as my wife ought not never to leave
off her petticoats, that's what I says."

"Samuel, fie! You make me blush." His wife coughed discreetly behind
her hand. "It's a new departure, I grant; but I've had a good many
compliments paid me since I took to the nautical style, I can t