Even the Cabinet girl, with a grandmother in very humble life,
who must be kept in the background, could not feel disconcerted.

For this happy result Mrs. Carriswood owns a share of the credit.
She advanced on the first pause, and claimed acquaintanceship with
the Fitzmaurices. The story of their last meeting and Tommy's first
triumph in oratory came, of course; the famous horseshoe received
due mention; and Tommy described with much humor his terror of the stage.
From the speech to its most effective passage was a natural transition;
equally natural the transition to Tommy's grandmother, the Irish famine,
and the benevolence of Lady Sackville.

Everybody was interested, and it was Sackville himself, who brought
the Fitzmaurices' noble ancestors, the apocryphal Viscounts Fitzmaurice
of King James's creation, on to the carpet.

He was entirely serious. "My grandmother told me of your
great-grandfather, Lord Fitzmaurice; she saw him ride to hounds once,
when she was a little girl. They say he was the boldest rider
in Ireland, and a renowned duellist too. King James gave the title
to his grandfather, didn't he? and the countryside kept it,
if it was given rather too late in the day to be useful.
I am glad you have restored the family fortunes, Mr. Fitzmaurice."

The Cabinet girl looked on Tommy with respect, and Miss Van Harlem
blushed like an angel.

"All is lost," said Mrs. Carriswood to herself; yet she smiled.
Going home, she found a word for Tommy's ear. The old
Virginian dinner had been most successful. The Fitzmaurices