d walking to his
destination.

Of course he was ready much too soon, and spent a restless, not to say a
miserable hour in the Brownes' drawing-room, afraid of starting, yet
unable to settle down to anything. Then, when half-past nine struck,
seized with sudden terror lest he should be too late, he made most hasty
adieux and rushed from the house. Only to hear Lily's light foot-fall
immediately following him, and her little breathless cry of "Oh, Ted!
you've forgotten your latch-key."

"I wish to Heaven I was going to pass the evening quietly with you,
Lil!" sighed the poor youth, all his heart in his boots; but she begged
him not to be a goose, told him he would meet much nicer girls, and made
him promise to notice how they were all dressed, so as to describe the
frocks to her next day. Then she tripped back into the house, gave him a
final smile, the door closed, and there was nothing for Everett to do
but set off.

He has told me since what a dreadful walk that was. He can remember it
vividly across all the intervening years, and he declares that no
criminal on his way to the gallows could have suffered from more
agonising apprehensions. He pictured his reception in a thousand dismal
forms. He saw himself knocking at the door; the moment's suspense; the
servant facing him. What ought he to say? "Is Lady Charlton at home?"
But that was ridiculous, since he knew she was at home; should he then
walk straight in without a word? but what would the servant think? Or,
supposing--awful thought!--he had made a mistake in the date; supposing
this wasn't the night at all? He searched in his pockets for the card
with feverish eagerness, and remembered he had left it stuck in the
dining-room chimney glass.

His forehead grew damp with sweat, his hands clammy. He slackened his
speed. Why was he walking so fast? He would get there too soon: how
embarrassing to be the first arrival! Then he saw by the next baker's
shop it was on the stroke of ten, and terror lent him wings. How much
more embarrassing to arrive the last!

The Charltons lived in Harley Street, which he had no sooner reached
than he guessed that must be the house, mid-way down. For a stream of
light expanded wedge-wise from the door, which was flung open as a
carriage drew up to the kerbstone. Everett calculated he should arrive
precisely as the occupants were getting out. Better wait a couple of
minutes.

Blessed respite! He crossed the road and loitered along