d
_him_: "The strongest thing in such a type--one does make out--is his
resentment of a liberty taken; and the most natural furthermore is
quite that he should feel almost anything you do take uninvited from the
groaning board of his banquet of life to _be_ such a liberty."

Mr. Bender participated thus at his perceptive ease in the exposed
aristocratic illusion. "Yes, I guess he has always lived as he likes,
the way those of you who have got things fixed for them _do_, over here;
and to have to quit it on account of unpleasant remark--"

But he gave up thoughtfully trying to express what this must be; reduced
to the mere synthetic interjection "My!"

"That's it, Mr. Bender," Hugh said for the consecration of such a moral;
"he won't quit it without a hard struggle."

Mr. Bender hereupon at last gave himself quite gaily away as to his high
calculation of impunity. "Well, I guess he won't struggle too hard for
me to hold on to him if I _want_ to!"

"In the thick of the conflict then, however that may be," Hugh returned,
"don't forget what I've urged on you--the claim of our desolate
country."

But his friend had an answer to this. "My natural interest, Mr.
Crimble--considering what I do for it--is in the claim of ours. But I
wish you were on my side!"

"Not so much," Hugh hungrily and truthfully laughed, "as I wish you were
on mine!" Decidedly, none the less, he had to go. "Good-bye--for another
look here!"

He reached the doorway of the second room, where, however, his
companion, freshly alert at this, stayed him by a gesture. "How much is
she really worth?"

"'She'?" Hugh, staring a moment, was miles at sea. "Lady Sandgate?"

"Her great-grandmother."

A responsible answer was prevented--the butler was again with them; he
had opened wide the other door and he named to Mr. Bender the personage
under his convoy. "Lord John!"

Hugh caught this from the inner threshold, and it gave him his escape.
"Oh, ask _that_ friend!" With which he sought the further passage to the
staircase and street, while Lord John arrived in charge of Mr. Gotch,
who, having remarked to the two occupants of the front drawing-room that
her ladyship would come, left them together.

IV

"Then Theign's not yet here!" Lord John had to resign himself as he
greeted his American ally. "But he told me I should find you."

"He has kept me waiting," that gentleman returned--"but what's the
matter with him anyway?"

"The matter with h