When, however, the last moment came she plucked up courage, gave Mrs.Leslie to the great commercial man, and with a brave smile asked Lopez to give his arm to the lady he loved.

It is sometimes so hard to manage these "little things," said she to Lord Mongrober as she put her hand upon his arm.

His lordship had been kept standing in that odious drawing-room for more than half-an-hour waiting for a man whom he regarded as a poor Treasury hack, and was by no means in a good humour.

Dick Roby's wine was no doubt good, but he was not prepared to purchase it at such a price as this.

"Things always get confused when you have waited an hour for any one," he said.