rry voice stayed him.

"How now, gentlemen?" sprang from Nell's rosy lips, as she came between
them, a picture of roguish beauty.

Hart's pose in an instant was that of apology. "Pardon, Nell," he
exclaimed, lifting his hat and bowing in courtly fashion. "A small
difference of opinion; naught else."

"Between friends," replied Nell, reprovingly.

"By the Gods," cried Buckingham,--and his hat too was in the air and his
knee too was bent before the theatre-queen,--"the rewards are worth more
than word-combats."

"Pshaw!" said Nell, as she hugged the King's roses tighter in her arms.
"True Englishmen fight shoulder to shoulder, not face to face."

"In this case," replied his lordship, with the air of a conqueror, "the
booty cannot be amicably distributed."

"Oh, ho!" cried Nell. "Brave generals, quarrelling over the spoils.
Pooh! There is no girl worth fighting for--that is, not over one!
Buckingham! Jack! For shame! What coquette kindles this hot blood?"

"The fairest maid in England," said Hart, with all the earnestness of
conviction, and with all the courtesy of the theatre, which teaches
courtesy.

"The dearest girl in all this world," said Buckingham as quickly; for he
too must bow if he would win.

"How stupid!" lisped Nell, with a look of baby-innocence. "You must mean
me! Who else could answer the description? A quarrel over poor me! This
is delicious. I love a fight. Out with your swords and to't like men! To
the victor! Come, name the quarrel."

"This player--" began his lordship, hotly. He caught the quick gleam in
Nell's eyes and hesitated. "I mean," he substituted, apologetically,
"Master Hart--labours under the misapprehension that you sup with him
to-night."

"Nell," asserted the manager, defensively, "it is his lordship who
suffers from the delusion that the first actress of England sups with
him to-night."

"My arm and coach are yours, madame," pleaded his lordship, as he
gallantly offered an arm.

"Pardon, my lord; Nell, my arm!" said Hart.

"Heyday!" cried the witch, bewitchingly. "Was ever maid so nobly
squired? This is an embarrassment of riches." She looked longingly at
the two attending gallants. There was something in her voice that might
be mockery or that might be love. Only the devil in her eyes could tell.

"Gentlemen, you tear my heart-strings," she continued. "How can I choose
between such loves? To-night, I sup at Whitehall!" and she darted
quickly toward the door.

"Wh