, she did the next best thing--she fixed the day for a dinner to be
given in Ted's honour. Not a tedious, large affair, of course. She was
only going to ask a few people who would appreciate Ted, and be useful
to him in "the future."

As it was nearly the end of the season Audrey had no time to lose, and
the first thing she did after her arrival was to startle Miss Craven by
the sudden question--

"Cousin Bella, who was the man who rushed out of his bath into the
street shouting 'Eureka'?"

"I never heard of any one doing so," said Cousin Bella, a little
testily; "and if he did, it was most improper of him."

"Wasn't it? Never mind; he had an idea, so have I. I think I shall run
out on to the Embankment and shout 'Eureka' too. Aren't you dying to
know? I'm going to give a grand dinner for Te--for Mr. and Miss
Haviland; and I'm not going to ask one--single--nonentity,--there! First
of all, we must have Mr. Knowles--of course. Then--perhaps--Mr. Flaxman
Reed. H'm--yes; we haven't asked him since he came up to St. Teresa's.
If he isn't anybody in particular, you can't exactly call him nobody."
Having settled the question of Mr. Flaxman Reed, Audrey sat down and
sent off several invitations on the spot.

Owing to some refusals, the dinner-party gradually shrank in size and
importance, and it was not until within four days of its date that
Audrey discovered to her dismay that she was "a man short." As good luck
would have it, she met Knowles that afternoon in Regent Street, and
confided to him her difficulty and her firm determination not to fill
the gap with any "nonentity" whatever. Audrey was a little bit afraid of
Mr. Percival Knowles, and nothing but real extremity would have driven
her to this desperate course. "If you could suggest any one I know, who
isn't a nonentity, and who wouldn't mind such ridiculously short notice:
it's really quite an informal little dinner, got up in a hurry, you
know, for Mr. Haviland, a very clever young artist, and his sister."

Knowles smiled faintly: he had heard before of the very clever young
artist (though not of his sister). He was all sympathy.

"Sorry. I can't think of any one you know--_not_ a nonentity--but I
should like to bring a friend, if I may. You don't know him, I think,
but I believe he very much wants to know you."

"Bring him by all means, if he won't mind such a casual invitation."

"I'll make that all right."

Knowles lifted his hat, and was about to hurry