"You have come from town this morning?" pursued his hostess, still
closely examining him.

"This morning, yes."

Lady Ogram turned to the lady sitting near her right hand, and said
abruptly:

"I don't agree with you at all. I should like to see as many women
doctors as men. Doctoring is mostly humbug, and if women were
attended by women there'd be a good deal less of that. Miss Bride
has studied medicine, and a very good doctor she would have made."

Dyce turned towards Constance, of whose proximity he had been aware,
though he had scarcely looked at her, and, as she bent her head
smiling, he rose and bowed. The lady whom their hostess had
addressed--she was middle-aged, very comely and good-humoured of
countenance, and very plainly attired--replied to the blunt
remarks in an easy, pleasant tone.

"I should have no doubt whatever of Miss Bride's competence. But--"

Lady Ogram interrupted her, seeming not to have heard what she said.

"Let me introduce to you Mr. Dyce Lashmar, who has thought a good
deal more about this kind of thing than either you or me. Mrs.
Gallantry, Mr. Gallantry."

Again Dyce stood up. Mr. Gallantry, a tall, loose-limbed, thinly
thatched gentleman, put on a pair of glasses to inspect him, and did