Lady Carey retraced her steps slowly towards the supper-room, and made some languid inquiries of the head waiter as to a missing handkerchief.

Then she came again slowly down the broad way and reached Mr.Sabin.He rose to his feet.
"I thank you very much for your note," he said.

"You have something, I believe, to say to me." She stood before him for a moment in silence, as though not unwilling that he should appreciate the soft splendour of her toilette.

The jewels which encircled her neck were priceless and dazzling; the soft material of her gown, the most delicate shade of sea green, seemed to foam about her feet, a wonderful triumph of allegoric dressmaking.

She saw that he was studying her, and she laughed a little uneasily, looking all the time into his eyes.
"Shockingly overdressed, ain't I ?" she said.