like an humble squire with a
princess. But now and then he looked at her with a wistfulness that was
like a question she could not hear because she was deaf. She never got
any satisfaction, though, if she asked what the look meant.

"Oh, I don't know. I was only thinking of you," he would answer, or some
other words of lover-language.

The Annesley-Setons' first move on the social chessboard was to make use
of a pawn or two in the shape of "society reporters." They knew a few men
and women of good birth and no money who lived by writing anonymously for
the newspapers. These people were delighted to get material for a
paragraph, or photographs for their editors. Connie took her new cousin
to the woman photographer who was the success of the moment; and, as she
said to Knight, "the rest managed itself."

Meanwhile, an application was made to the Lord Chamberlain for Mrs.
Nelson Smith's presentation by her cousin Lady Annesley-Seton at the
first Court of the season. It was granted, and the bride in white and
silver made her bow to their majesties. As for Knight, he laughingly
refused Dick's good offices.

"No levees for me!" he said. "I've lived too long in America, and roughed
it in too many queer places, to take myself seriously in knee-breeches.
Besides, they have to know about your ancestors back to the Dark Ages,
don't they, or else they 'cancel' you? My father was a good man, and a
gentleman, but who _his_ father was I couldn't tell to save my head. My
mother was by way of being a swell; but she was a foreigner, so I can't
make use of any of her 'quarterings,' even if I could count them."

Annesley was presented in February, and had by that time been settled in
Portman Square long enough to have met many of her cousins' friends.
After the Court, which launched her in society, she and Knight (with a
list supplied by Connie) gave a dinner-dance. The Countess de Santiago
was not asked; but soon afterward there was a luncheon entirely for
women, in American fashion, at which the Countess was present.

When luncheon was over, she gave a short lecture on "the Science of
Palmistry" and "the Cultivation of Clairvoyant Powers." Then there was
tea; and the Countess allowed herself to be consulted by the guests--the
dozen most important women of Connie's acquaintance.

Annesley, though she was not able to like the Countess, was pleased with
the praise lavished upon her both for her looks and her accomplishments
that aft