ECH [testily]. Mr. Granger-Simpson, have you seen my nephew?

HORACE. No; I've rather avoided that, if you don't mind my saying so.

LADY CREECH. Mr. Granger-Simpson!

HORACE. I'm sorry, Lady Creech, but I've had a most awful shaking-up,
and I'm almost thinking of going back home with Mr. Pike. I rather think
he's about right in his ideas. You know we abused him, not only for
himself, but for his vulgar friend; yet his vulgar friend turned out to
be a grand-duke--and look at what our friends turned out to be.

[Goes rapidly into the hotel.]

[ALMERIC'S voice is heard from the grove. "Come along! There's a good
fellow!"]

LADY CREECH. Isn't that Almeric?

PIKE. Here he comes, shamed and bending under the blow!

[ALMERIC enters from the grove, leading a bull terrier pup.]

ALMERIC. Mariano, Mariano--I say, Mariano! I say, Aunty, ain't he
rippin'? Lucky I got there just as I did--a bounder wanted to buy him
five minutes later.

[MARIANO enters from hotel.]

Mariano, do you think you could be trusted to wash him?

MARIANO. Wash him!

ALMERIC. Tepid water, you know; and mind he doesn't take cold; and just
a little milk afterward--nothing else but milk, you understand. You be
deuced careful, I mean to say.

MARIANO [with dignity]. I will give him to the porter.

[He carries the animal into the hotel.]

LADY CREECH. Almeric, really, there are more important things, you know.

ALMERIC. But you don't seem to realize I might have missed him
altogether. I think I'm rather to be congratulated, you know. What?

PIKE. I think you are, my son. I have given my consent.

ALMERIC. Rippin'!

LADY CREECH. And the settlement?

PIKE. The settlement also--everything!

[ETHEL enters from the hotel, followed by HORACE.]

LADY CREECH [greatly relieved and overjoyed, starting toward ETHEL].
Ethel, my dear!

ALMERIC [cheerfully]. I told you it would all be plain sailing, Aunty.
There was nothing to worry about.

LADY CREECH [continuing, to ETHEL]. All shall be forgiven, my child. I
am too pleased, too overjoyed in your good-fortune to remember any
little bickerings between us. The sky has cleared wonderfully.
Everything is settled.

ETHEL. Yes; it's all over; my guardian has consented.

ALMERIC. Of course _I_ never worried about it--but I fancy it will be a
weight off the Governor's mind. I'll see that a wire catches him at
Naples--and he'll be glad to know what became of that arrangement about
the convict fellow