' Gallery.

The magnificent doorkeeper saluted him with particular deference.
Wharton was in general a favourite with officials.

"The two ladies are come, sir. You'll find them in the front--oh! not
very full yet, sir--will be directly."

Wharton drew aside the curtain of the Gallery, and looked in.
Yes!--there was the dark head bent forward, pressed indeed against the
grating which closes the front of the den into which the House of
Commons puts its ladies--as though its owner were already absorbed in
what was passing before her.

She looked up with an eager start, as she heard his voice in her ear.

"Oh! now, come and tell us everything--and who everybody is. Why don't
we see the Speaker?--and which is the Government side?--oh, yes, I see.
And who's this speaking now?"

"Why, I thought you knew everything," said Wharton as, with a greeting
to Miss Craven, he slipped in beside them and took a still vacant chair
for an instant. "How shall I instruct a Speaker's great-niece?"

"Why, of course I feel as if the place belonged to me!" said Marcella,
impatiently; "but that somehow doesn't seem to help me to people's
names. Where's Mr. Gladstone? Oh, I see. Look, look, Edith!--he's just
come in!--oh, don't be so superior, though you _have_ been here
before--you couldn't tell me heaps of people!"

Her voice had a note of joyous excitement like a child's.

"That's because I'm short-sighted," said Edith Craven, calmly; "but it's
no reason why you should show me Mr. Gladstone."

"Oh, my dear, my dear!--do be quiet! Now, Mr. Wharton, where are the
Irishmen? Oh! I wish we could have an Irish row! And where do you
sit?--I see--and there's Mr. Bennett--and that black-faced man, Mr.
Wilkins, I met at the Hallins--you don't like him, do you?" she said,
drawing back and looking at him sharply.

"Who? Wilkins? Perhaps you'd better ask me that question later on!" said
Wharton, with a twist of the lip; "he's going to do his best to make a
fool of himself and us to-night--we shall see! It's kind of you to wish
us an Irish row!--considering that if I miss my chance to-night I shall
never get another!"

"Then for heaven's sake don't let's wish it!" she said decidedly. "Oh,
that's the Irish Secretary answering now, is it?"--a pause--"Dear me,
how civil everybody is. I don't think this is a good place for a
Democrat, Mr. Wharton--I find myself terribly in love with the
Government. But who's that?"

She craned her neck. Wharton