ery smart turn out, one horsed, but having two liveried
servants on the box. A coachman, and a footman with powdered hair.

In the Victoria was seated one of the prettiest girls ever beheld by
Jones. A lovely creature, dark, with deep, dreamy, vague blue-grey
eyes--and a face! Ah, what pen could describe that face, so mobile,
piquante, and filled with light and inexpressible charm.

She had caught Jones' eye, she was gazing at him curiously, half
mirthfully, half wrathfully, it seemed to him, and now to his amazement
she made a little movement of the head, as if to say, "come here." At
the same moment she spoke to the coachman.

"Portman, stop please."

Jones advanced, raising his hat.

"I just want to tell you," said the Beauty, leaning a little forward,
"that you are a silly old ass. Venetia has told me all--It's nothing to
me, but don't do it--Portman, drive on."

"Good Lord!" said Jones, as the vehicle passed on its way, bearing off
its beautiful occupant, of whom nothing could now be seen but the lace
covered back of a parasol.

He rejoined the unknown.

"Well," said the latter, "what has your wife been saying to you?"

"My _wife_!" said Jones.

"Well, your late wife, though you ain't divorced yet, are you?"

"No," said Jones.

He uttered the word mechanically, scarcely knowing what he was saying.

That lovely creature his wife! Rochester's wife!

"Get in," said the unknown. He had called a taxi.

Jones got in.

Rochester's wife! The contrast between her and Lady Plinlimon suddenly
arose before him, together with the folly of Rochester seen gigantically
and in a new light.

The taxi drew up in a street off Piccadilly; they got out; the unknown
paid and led the way into a house, whose front door presented a modest
brass door plate inscribed with the words:

"MR. CARR"

They passed along a passage, and then down stairs to a large room, where
small card tables were set out. An extraordinary room, for, occupying
nearly half of one side of it stood a kitchen range, over which a cook
was engaged broiling chops and kidneys, and all the other elements of a
mixed grill. Old fashioned pictures of sporting celebrities hung on the
walls, and opposite the range stood a dresser, laden with priceless old
fashioned crockery ware. Off this room lay the dining room, and the
whole place had an atmosphere of comfort and the days gone by when days
were less laborious than our days,