A tall, grey-haired man, dressed in old-fashioned clothes and wearing a pince-nez, had lifted the curtains.

He addressed the Duchess in a thin, reedy voice.
"My dear Caroline," he began,--"ah, you must forgive me.

I did not know that you were engaged.

We will not stay, but I should like to present to you a young friend of mine who is going to help me at the meeting this evening." "Do bring him in," his wife replied, her voice once more attuned to its natural drawl.

"And I have a surprise for you too, Henry--a very great surprise, I think you will find it!" Dominey rose to his feet--a tall, commanding figure--and stood waiting the approach of the newcomer.