herself from a group close at hand turned towards them.

"It is Lady Dredlinton," Kendrick whispered in his ear.

"Then I will only say," Wingate concluded, "that Lord Dredlinton's
commercial record scarcely entitles him to a seat on the Board of any
progressive company."




CHAPTER II


Josephine Dredlinton, with a smile which gave to her face a singularly
sweet expression, deprecated the disturbance which her coming had caused
amongst the little company. The four men had risen to their feet.
Kendrick was holding a chair for her. She apparently knew every one
intimately except Wingate, and Sarah hastened to present him.

"Mr. Wingate--the Countess of Dredlinton," she said. "Mr. Wingate has
just arrived from New York, Josephine, and he wants to know which are the
newest plays worth seeing and the latest mode in men's ties."

A somewhat curious few seconds followed upon Sarah's few words of
introduction. Wingate stood drawn to his fullest height, having the air
of a man who, on the point of making his little conventional movement and
speech, has felt the influence of some emotion in itself almost
paralysing. His eyes searched the face of the woman before whom he
stood, almost eagerly, as though he were conjuring up to himself pictures