and Lady Wolfer,
entering with her usual rapidity, nearly ran against him. He begged her
pardon with extreme courtesy, and was passing out, when she stopped him
with a:

"Oh, I'm glad I've seen you. Will the twenty-fourth do for the dinner
party? Are you engaged for that night? I'm not, I think."

The earl's grave eyes rested on her pretty, piquant face as she
consulted her ivory tablets, but his gaze was lowered instantly as she
looked up at him again.

"No," he said. "Is it a large party?"

She shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm afraid so. I'm going over the list with Nell, here. Oh, for
goodness' sake, don't run away, dear!" she broke off, as Nell, thinking
herself rather de trop, moved toward an opposite door; and Nell, of
course, remained.

"She's the most awful girl to get hold of!" said her ladyship. "If ever
you want to speak to her, to have a nice, quiet chat with her, she has
always got to go and 'see to something.'"

"I can understand that Miss Lorton's time must be much occupied," said
the earl, with a courteous little inclination of the head to Nell.

"Yes, I know; but she might occupy it with me sometimes," remarked her
ladyship.

"I can give you just five minutes," said Nell, laughing. "This is just
my busiest hour."

The earl waited for a minute, waited as if under compulsion and to see
if Lady Wolfer had anything more to say to him, then passed out. On his
way across the hall he met Sir Archie Walbrooke.

"Mornin', Wolfer," said the young man, in his slow, self-possessed way.
"Lady Wolfer at home? Got to see her about--'pon my honor, forget what
it was now!"

The earl smiled gravely.

"You will find her in the library, Walbrooke," he said, and went on his
way.

Sir Archie was shown into the room where Lady Wolfer and Nell were
conferring over the dinner party, and Lady Wolfer looked up with an
easy:

"Oh, it's you, is it? What brings you here? Oh, never mind, if you can't
remember; I dare say I shall presently. Meanwhile, you can help us make
out this list."

"Always glad to make myself useful," he drawled, seating himself on the
settee beside Lady Wolfer, and taking hold of one side of the piece of
paper which she held.

They were soon so deeply engaged that Nell, eager to get to Mrs.
Hubbard, left them for a while.

When she came in again, the list was lying on the floor, Lady Wolfer was
leaning forward, with her hands clasped tightly in her lap, her pretty
face lined and eloquen