in New Zealand; or was it Australia?"

"Australia?" the cold, metallic tones of the third person, a man of
about three-and-thirty, inquired. "Most likely the other place, or we
should have heard--"

"True, Lord Ronsdale!" said the other man, pausing before a great door.
"But here we are."

"'All ye who enter, etc'" laughed the girl.

"Not if one comes just to 'do' it, you know," was the protesting answer.
"Quite the thing to take in the criminal courts!"

"When one is only a sort of country cousin, a colonial, just come to
town!" she added, waving a small, daintily-gloved hand to the little
group of friends who now approached and joined them. "Captain Forsythe
is trying to persuade me it is a legitimate part of our slumming plan to
take in murder trials, uncle," she said lightly, addressing the foremost
of the new-comers. "Just because it's a fad of his! Speaking of this
acquaintance or friend of yours, Mr. Steele,--you are something of a
criminologist, too, are you not, Captain Forsythe?"

"Well, every man should have a hobby," returned that individual, "and,
although I don't aspire to the long name you call me, I confess to a
slight amateur interest."

Lord Ronsdale shrugged his shoulders, as to say, every one to his taste;
but the girl laughed.