very　picture　of　the　general　uncle。
  It　chanced　that　Flora　had　met　Mr。　Robbie　in　the　course　of　the
  afternoon。　　'Now；　Miss　Flora；'　he　had　said；　'come　early；　for　I　have
  a　Phoenix　to　show　you　…　one　Mr。　Ducie；　a　new　client　of　mine　that；　I
  vow；　I　have　fallen　in　love　with'；　and　he　was　so　good　as　to　add　a
  word　or　two　on　my　appearance；　from　which　Flora　conceived　a
  suspicion　of　the　truth。　　She　had　come　to　the　party；　in　consequence；
  on　the　knife…edge　of　anticipation　and　alarm；　had　chosen　a　place　by
  the　door；　where　I　found　her；　on　my　arrival；　surrounded　by　a　posse
  of　vapid　youths；　and；　when　I　drew　near；　sprang　up　to　meet　me　in　the
  most　natural　manner　in　the　world；　and；　obviously；　with　a　prepared
  form　of　words。
  'How　do　you　do；　Mr。　Ducie？'　she　said。　　'It　is　quite　an　age　since　I
  have　seen　you！'
  'I　have　much　to　tell　you；　Miss　Gilchrist；'　I　replied。　　'May　I　sit
  down？'
  For　the　artful　girl；　by　sitting　near　the　door；　and　the　judicious
  use　of　her　shawl；　had　contrived　to　keep　a　chair　empty　by　her　side。
  She　made　room　for　me；　as　a　matter　of　course；　and　the　youths　had　the
  discretion　to　melt　before　us。　　As　soon　as　I　was　once　seated　her　fan
  flew　out；　and　she　whispered　behind　it：
  'Are　you　mad？'
  'Madly　in　love；'　I　replied；　'but　in　no　other　sense。'
  'I　have　no　patience！　　You　cannot　understand　what　I　am　suffering！'
  she　said。　　'What　are　you　to　say　to　Ronald；　to　Major　Chevenix；　to　my
  aunt？'
  Your　aunt？'　I　cried；　with　a　start。　　'PECCAVI！　is　she　here？'
  'She　is　in　the　card…room　at　whist；'　said　Flora。
  'Where　she　will　probably　stay　all　the　evening？'　I　suggested。
  'She　may；'　she　admitted；　'she　generally　does！'
  'Well；　then；　I　must　avoid　the　card…room；'　said　I；　'which　is　very
  much　what　I　had　counted　upon　doing。　　I　did　not　come　here　to　play
  cards；　but　to　contemplate　a　certain　young　lady　to　my　heart's
  content　…　if　it　can　ever　be　contented！　…　and　to　tell　her　some　good
  news。'
  'But　there　are　still　Ronald　and　the　Major！'　she　persisted。　　'They
  are　not　card…room　fixtures！　　Ronald　will　be　coming　and　going。　　And
  as　for　Mr。　Chevenix；　he　…　'
  'Always　sits　with　Miss　Flora？'　I　interrupted。　　'And　they　talk　of
  poor　St。　Ives？　　I　had　gathered　as　much；　my　dear；　and　Mr。　Ducie　has
  come　to　prevent　it！　　But　pray　dismiss　these　fears！　　I　mind　no　one
  but　your　aunt。'
  'Why　my　aunt？'
  'Because　your　aunt　is　a　lady；　my　dear；　and　a　very　clever　lady；　and；
  like　all　clever　ladies；　a　very　rash　lady；'　said　I。　　'You　can　never
  count　upon　them；　unless　you　are　sure　of　getting　them　in　a　corner；
  as　I　have　got　you；　and　talking　them　over　rationally；　as　I　am　just
  engaged　on　with　yourself！　　It　would　be　quite　the　same　to　your　aunt
  to　make　the　worst　kind　of　a　scandal；　with　an　equal　indifference　to
  my　danger　and　to　the　feelings　of　our　good　host！'
  'Well；'　she　said；　'and　what　of　Ronald；　then？　　Do　you　think　HE　is
  above　making　a　scandal？　　You　must　know　him　very　little！'
  'On　the　other　hand；　it　is　my　pretension　that　I　know　him　very　well！'
  I　replied。　　'I　must　speak　to　Ronald　first　…　not　Ronald　to　me　…　that
  is　all！'
  'Then；　please；　go　and　speak　to　him　at　once！'　she　pleaded。　　He　is
  there　…　do　you　see？　…　at　the　upper　end　of　the　room；　talking　to　that
  girl　in　pink。'
  'And　so　lose　this　seat　before　I　have　told　you　my　good　news？'　I
  exclaimed。　　'Catch　me！　　And；　besides；　my　dear　one；　think　a　little
  of　me　and　my　good　news！　　I　thought　the　bearer　of　good　news　was
  always　welcome！　　I　hoped　he　might　be　a　little　welcome　for　himself！
  Consider！　　I　have　but　one　friend；　and　let　me　stay　by　her！　　And
  there　is　only　one　thing　I　care　to　hear；　and　let　me　hear　it！'
  'Oh；　Anne；'　she　sighed；　'if　I　did　not　love　you；　why　should　I　be　so
  uneasy？　　I　am　turned　into　a　coward；　dear！　　Think；　if　it　were　the
  other　way　round　…　if　you　were　quite　safe　and　I　was　in；　oh；　such
  danger！'
  She　had　no　sooner　said　it　than　I　was　convicted　of　being　a　dullard。
  'God　forgive　me；　dear！'　　I　made　haste　to　reply。　　'I　never　saw
  before　that　there　were　two　sides　to　this！'　　And　I　told　her　my　tale
  as　briefly　as　I　could；　and　rose　to　seek　Ronald。　　'You　see；　my　dear；
  you　are　obeyed；'　I　said。
  She　gave　me　a　look　that　was　a　reward　in　itself；　and　as　I　turned
  away　from　her；　with　a　strong　sense　of　turning　away　from　the　sun；　I
  carried　that　look　in　my　bosom　like　a　caress。　　The　girl　in　pink　was
  an　arch；　ogling　person；　with　a　good　deal　of　eyes　and　teeth；　and　a
  great　play　of　shoulders　and　rattle　of　conversation。　　There　could　be
  no　doubt；　from　Mr。　Ronald's　attitude；　that　he　worshipped　the　very
  chair　she　sat　on。　　But　I　was　quite　ruthless。　　I　laid　my　hand　on　his
  shoulder；　as　he　was　stooping　over　her　like　a　hen　over　a　chicken。
  'Excuse　me　for　one　moment；　Mr。　Gilchrist！'　said　I。
  He　started　and　span　about　in　answer　to　my　touch；　and　exhibited　a
  face　of　inarticulate　wonder。
  'Yes！'　I　continued；　'it　is　even　myself！　　Pardon　me　for
  interrupting　so　agreeable　a　TETE…A…TETE；　but　you　know；　my　good
  fellow；　we　owe　a　first　duty　to　Mr。　Robbie。　　It　would　never　do　to
  risk　making　a　scene　in　the　man's　drawing…room；　so　the　first　thing　I
  had　to　attend　to　was　to　have　you　warned。　　The　name　I　go　by　is
  Ducie；　too；　in　case　of　accidents。'
  'I　…　I　say；　you　know！'　cried　Ronald。　　'Deuce　take　it；　what　are　you
  doing　here？'
  'Hush；　hush！'　said　I。　　'Not　the　place；　my　dear　fellow　…　not　the
  place。　　Come　to　my　rooms；　if　you　like；　to…night　after　the　party；　or
  to…morrow　in　the　morning；　and　we　can　talk　it　out　over　a　segar。　　But
  here；　you　know；　it　really　won't　do　at　all。'
  Before　he　could　collect　his　mind　for　an　answer；　I　had　given　him　my
  address　in　St。　James　Square；　and　had　again　mingled　with　the　crowd。
  Alas！　　I　was　not　fated　to　get　back　to　Flora　so　easily！　　Mr。　Robbie
  was　in　the　path：　he　was　insatiably　loquacious；　and　as　he　continued
  to　palaver　I　watched　the　insipid　youths　gather　again　about　my　idol；
  and　cursed　my　fate　and　my　host。　　He　remembered　suddenly　that　I　was
  to　attend　the　Assembly　Ball　on　Thursday；　and　had　only　attended　to…
  night　by　way　of　a　preparative。　　This　put　it　into　his　head　to
  present　me　to　another　young　lady；　but　I　managed　this　interview　with
  so　much　art　that；　while　I　was　scrupulously　polite　and　even　cordial
  to　the　fair　one；　I　contrived　to　keep　Robbie　beside　me　all　the　time
  and　to　leave　along　with　him　when　the　ordeal　was　over。　　We　were　just
  walking　away　arm　in　arm；　when　I　spied　my　friend　the　Major
  approaching；　stiff　as　a　ramrod　and；　as　usual；　obtrusively　clean。
  'Oh！　there's　a　man　I　want　to　know；'　said　I；　taking　the　bull　by　the
  horns。　　'Won't　you　introduce　me　to　Major　Chevenix？'
  'At　a　word；　my　dear　fellow；'　said　Robbie；　and　'Major！'　he　cried；
  'come　here　and　let　me　present　to　you　my　friend　Mr。　Ducie；　who
  desires　the　honour　of　your　acquaintance。'
  The　Major　flushed　visibly；　but　otherwise　preserved　his　composure。
  He　bowed　very　low。　　'I'm　not　very　sure；'　he　said：　'I　have　an　idea
  we　have　met　before？'
  'Informally；'　I　said；　returning　his　bow；　'and　I　have　long　looked
  forward　to　the　pleasure　of　regularising　our　acquaintance。'
  'You　are　very　good；　Mr。　Ducie；'　he　returned。　　'Perhaps　you　could
  aid　my　memory　a　little？　　Where　was　it　that　I　had　the　pleasure？'
  'Oh；　that　would　be　telling　tales　out　of　school；'　said　I；　with　a
  laugh；　'and　before　my　lawyer；　too！'
  'I'll　wager；'　broke　in　Mr。　Robbie；　'that；　when　you　knew　my　client；
  Chevenix　…　the　past　of　our　friend　Mr。　Ducie　is　an　obscure　chapter
  full　of　horrid　secrets　…　I'll　wager；　now；　you　knew　him　as　St。
  Ivey；'　says　he；　nudging　me　violently。
  'I　think　not；　sir；'　said　the　Major；　with　pinched　lips。
  'Well；　I　wish　he　may　prove　all　right！'　continued　the　lawyer；　with
  certainly　the　worst…inspired　jocularity　in　the　world。　　'I　know
  nothing　by　him！　　He　may　be　a　swell　mobsman　for　me　with　his　aliases。
  You　must　put　your　memory　on　the　rack；　Major；　and　when　ye've
  remembered　when　and　where　ye　met　him；　be　sure　ye　tell　me。'
  'I　will　not　fail；　sir；'　said　Chevenix。
  'Seek　to　him！'　cried　Robbie；　waving　his　hand　as　he　departed。
  The　Major；　as　soon　as　we　were　alone；　turned　upon　me　his　impassive
  countenance。
  'Well；'　he　said；　'you　have　courage。'
  'It　is　undoubted　as　your　honour；　sir；'　I　returned；　bowing。
  'Did　you　expect　to　meet　me；　may　I　ask？'　said　he。
  'You　saw；　at　least；　that　I　courted　the　presentation；'　said　I。
  'And　you　were　not　afraid？'　said　Chevenix。
  'I　was　perfectly　at　ease。　　I　knew　I　was　dealing　with　a　gentleman。
  Be　that　your　epitaph。'
  'Well；　there　are　some　other　people　looking　for　you；'　he　said；　'who
  will　make　no　bones　about　the　point　of　honour。　　The　police；　my　dear
  sir；　are　simply　agog　about　you。'
  'And　I　think　that　that　was　coarse；'　said　I。
  'You　have　seen　Miss　Gilchrist？'　he　inquired；　changing　the　subject。
  'With　whom；　I　am　led　to　understand；　we　are　on　a　footing　of
  rivalry？'　I　asked。　　'Yes；　I　ha