Captain Fitzgerald, he rose from his seat and greeted her.

"You have been exceedingly mean," he whispered. "What are you going to
do for me to make up for it?"

The widow had a very soft spot in her heart for "Ce beau Bracondale," as
she called him, and when he pleaded like that she found him hard to
resist.

"Come and see me to-morrow at twelve, and we will talk about it," she
said.

"To-morrow!" exclaimed Lord Bracondale; "but I want to talk to her
to-night!"

"Get rid of your party, then, and join us for coffee," and the widow
smiled archly as she passed on.

Theodora bowed with grave sweetness as she also went by, and most of the
others greeted Hector, while one woman stopped and told him she was
going to have an automobile party in a day or two, and she hoped he
would come.

When they had all gone on Mrs. Ellerwood said:

"I wonder why Americans are so much smarter than we poor English? I
can't bear them as a nation though, can you?"

"Yes," said Lord Bracondale. "I think the best friends I have in the
world are American. The women particularly are perfectly charming. You