owing of waiters and readjustment of
ladies' sable or ermine stoles, Annesley ventured a lightning glance at
the men. She saw that both were black-haired and black-bearded, with dark
skins and long noses. There was a slight suggestion of resemblance
between them. They might be brothers. They were in evening dress, but
did not look, Annesley thought, like gentlemen.

Mr. Smith was eating _blennes au caviar_ apparently with enjoyment. He
called a waiter and told him to put more whipped cream on the caviare as
yet untouched in the middle of Annesley's pancake.

"That's better, I think," he said, genially. And as the waiter went away,
"What are they doing now?"

Annesley lifted her champagne glass as an excuse to raise her eyes. "I'm
afraid they've seen us and are talking about you. Can't we--hadn't we
better go?"

"Certainly not," replied Mr. Smith. "At least, _I_ can't. But if you
repent----"

"I don't," Annesley broke in. "I was thinking of you, of course."

"Bless you!" said her host. His tone was suddenly gay. She glanced at him
and saw that his face was gay also, his eyes bright and challenging, his
look almost boyish. She had taken him for thirty-three or four; now she
would have guessed him younger.

Annesley could not help admiring his pluck, for he had said that the
arrival of these men meant danger. She ought to be sorry as well as
frightened because they had come, but at that moment she was neither. Her
companion's example was contagious. Her spirits rose. And the thought
flashed through her head, "This adventure won't end here!" If she had had
time she would have been ashamed of her gladness; but there was no time.
Smith was talking again in a suppressed yet cheerful tone.

"You won't forget that we're Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Smith?"

"No--no. I sha'n't forget."

"You may have to call me Nelson, and I--to call you Annesley. It's a
pretty name, odd for a woman to have. How did you get it?"

"Oh, you don't want to hear that now!"

"Why not?--unless you'd rather not tell me. We can't do anything more
till the blow falls, except enjoy ourselves and go on with our dinner.
How did you come to be Annesley?"

"It was part of my mother's maiden name. She was an Annesley-Seton."

"There's a Lord Annesley-Seton, isn't there?"

"Yes."

"Related to you?"

"A cousin. But Grayle isn't a name in their set. He and his wife have
forgotten my existence. I'm not likely to remind them of it."

"His wife was an Am