stay at all in
Paris?"

"A few days--just to show Dolly the sights."

"How charming! And you and I must have some expeditions together.
Roger is so odd about not liking to take me."

"We'll do the whole thing, Lady Deane," answered General Bellairs,
heartily. "Notre Dame, the Versailles, the Invalides, Eiffel Tower."

Lady Deane's broad white brow showed a little pucker.

"That wasn't quite what I meant," said she. "Oh, but Roger could take
Dora to those, couldn't he, while you and I made a point of seeing some
of the real life of the people? Of studying them in their ordinary
resorts, their places of recreation and amusement."

"Oh, the Francais, and the opera, and so on, of course."

"No, no, no," exclaimed Lady Deane, tapping her foot impatiently and
fixing her gray eyes on the General's now puzzled face. "Not the same
old treadmill in Paris as in London! Not that, General!"

"What then, my dear lady?" asked he. "Your wish is law to me," and it
was true that he had become very fond of his earnest young friend.
"What do you want to see? The Chamber of Deputies?"

Sir Roger's voice struck in.

"I'm not a puritanical husband, Bellairs, but I must make a stand
somewhere. Not the Chamber of Deputies."

"Don't be silly, Roger dear," said Lady Deane, in her usual tone of
dispassionate reproof.

"I can't find out where she does want to go to," remarked the General.

"I can tell you," said Sir Roger, and he leant down and whispered a
name; in the General's ear. The General jumped.

"Good heavens!" he exclaimed. "I haven't been there since the fifties.
Is it still like what it used to be?"

"How should I know?" inquired Sir Roger. "I'm not a student of social
phenomena. Maud is, so she wants to go."

Lady Deane was looking on with a quiet smile.

"She never mentioned it," protested the General.

"Oh, of course if there's a worse place now!" conceded Sir Roger.

"I'll make up my mind when we arrive," observed Lady Deane. "Anyhow I
shall rely on you, General."

The General looked a little uncomfortable.

"If Deane doesn't object----."

"I shouldn't think of taking my wife to such places."

Suddenly Dora Bellairs rushed up to them.

"Have you seen Mr. Ellerton?" she cried. "Where is he?"

"In the smoking-room," answered Sir Roger. "Do you want him?"

"Would you mind? I can't go in there: it's full of men."

"After all we must be somewhere," pleaded Sir Roger as he went on his
errand.

"Dolly,