disposed to talk, to interest herself in other ways if you are not.
She has plenty of common sense, is tolerant of tobacco, and a
thorough woman of the world, though her headquarters have for years
been in the country. With her is her daughter."

"Well, what about her? I have heard of her as having made quite a
sensation this season, and between ourselves I had some idea that
this party was specially planned on her account."

"To some extent perhaps it was," Frank Mallett laughed. "Bertha
Greendale is an old chum of mine. I knew her in very short frocks,
for they were near neighbours of ours in the country; and her
father, Sir John, was always one of my kindest friends. She was a
slip of a girl when I went out to India, and though I thought that
she would turn out pretty, I certainly did not expect she would be
anything like as good looking as she is. She was always a nice
girl, and success so far has not spoiled her.

"Then there is a Miss Sinclair, a great friend of Bertha's; and
Jack Hawley of the Guards. I knew him out in the Crimea. The other
two are Wilson, who is a clever young barrister, and a particularly
pleasant fellow; and his wife, who is a sister of Miss Sinclair; so
I think there are the elements of a pleasant party. All the ladies
are broken into smoke, for Sir John smoked, and so does Wilson; so
that you won't be expected to go forward, as they do on the P and
O, whenever you want to enjoy your favourite pipe."

"That is a comfort, anyhow, Mallett. If there is one thing in the
world I hate, it is having to go and hunt about for some place to
smoke in; and I never accept an invitation to any shooting party
unless I know beforehand that smoking is allowed. At what time do
you expect the others?"

"They will be down at half-past twelve; they are all coming by the
same train, and it was because I knew that you would want to be in
a smoking carriage that I told you to come down by the earlier one.
And, besides, I thought it well to get you here first. You are the
only stranger, as it were. The others are all intimate with each
other, and it was as well to post you as to their various
relationships."

"One thing, Mallett. I hope Lady Greendale is not in any way a
marrying woman. I am not like Mr. Pickwick, afraid of widows, and
have perfect confidence in my power to resist temptation; but at
the same time it makes all the difference in the world to one's
comfort. I am not ass enough to suppose that L