THE numerous company which filled the Duchess's

two drawing-rooms, in point of fact overflowed into the corridor, which, decorated with beautiful flowers, and having deep window recesses at intervals, formed a pleasant place either for walking up and down or for sitting in confidential correspondence. All, or nearly all the Palace folks were there, but there were three ladies who remarked with satisfaction that Miss Manwaring was absent, and Lady M'Adam observed to Miss Scheimes that she thought that Lady Lavinia "had settled that minx's hash nicely." Mr. fforester, the Chaplain, kept running about from group to group, and astonished friends and enemies alike by occasionally bursting out into fits of laughter without any

apparent cause, and he steadily refused to give any rational account of his unwonted tendency to risibility. The young Duke was everywhere, and had a pleasant word for everyone. Colonel Hawkins, of the Fortieth Dragoons, who had arrived early, kept strutting up and down with a mysterious expression upon his bronzed countenance, and looked like a kind of military Sphynx; while Captain Parkhurst and Lieutenant Grimwood, of the Hampton Court troop, wore the expression of men who were quite able to astonish the natives, if only they wished to do so. To the amazement of all, however, the Duchess, who was usually punctuality itself, delayed making her appearance. At length, just when Lady M'Adam, in plum-coloured velvet, was remarking to Lady Lavinia, in yellow silk and black lace, and to Miss Scheimes, in amber satin, what "a real satisfaction it was that no hussies were present," an inner door was suddenly thrown open, and the Duchess, blazing in all the Ribblesdale Diamonds, and with the great Scarswicke Emerald hanging round her neck, entered the room, with one arm in that of Evelyn Manwaring, and with the other in that of a-Cavalry Soldier! Lady M'Adam gave a violent start at this unlooked-for apparition; Miss Scheimes turned the colour of her own dress, and

Lady Lavinia's shoulders almost went out of sight in the inmost recesses of her yellow silk.

"The woman must be mad!" whispered the porkmerchant's daughter.

"Or bad?" said the diplomat's sister, sotto voce.

"I think she's both," hissed Lady Lavinia; "it really is dreadful!" and so saying, the terrible shoulders oscillated like the humps of a Bactrian camel on a mountain march.

But the Duchess, although she distinctly overheard these complimentary remarks, looked no whit abashed, and took no notice of them whatsoever; but on the contrary, she advanced steadily onwards until she reached the upper end of the great drawingroom. Then, turning round and bowing to the company, she said in a clear, ringing tone, "I trust, my friends, you will pardon my long absence, for I had some important arrangements to complete. Allow me now to introduce to you a gentleman upon whom, in the presence of many of you, Her Majesty was pleased personally to confer the Victoria Cross, the highest distinction it is in her power to bestow, in reward for his conspicuous gallantry upon the field of battle. In introducing Sergeant Wilfred Smith, with the fame of whose exploits all England is ringing, I have also to introduce a young gentle

man of ancient lineage, of great misfortunes nobly borne, and of stainless honour, Mr. Wilfred Manwaring of Holmcastle Manor, my son's best and truest friend, and the brother of a young lady whose beauty, modesty, and sweet disposition have won for her a host of friends, and whose misfortunes and friendless condition ought to have protected her from the baseless calumnies of false and malicious tongues. Ribblesdale, my dear son, let me make over your friend to your care, and I beg you will make him personally acquainted with my guests."

In a moment the young Duke had seized Wilfred by the hand, which he wrung heartily, amidst a murmur of applause from the company.

Now, your Grace, let me have my innings," cried Colonel Hawkins, who looked as if he would have burst if what he had to say was bottled up any longer, and pushing through the crowd, he, in his turn, grasped Wilfred by the hand and thus addressed him:

Mr. Manwaring, I wish to tell you that I have had my eye on you ever since you joined my regiment as a private, and I never knew you to commit an action unbecoming a soldier and a gentleman; and I would say the same if you were plain Private Smith, instead of being a man of ancient family

and considerable fortune. For your conspicuous gallantry in the field, for which, as Colonel of the Regiment, I feel I personally owe you a debt of gratitude, you have already received the Victoria Cross from the hands of the Queen; but I have now to inform you, that H.R.H. the General Commandingin-Chief has felt it to be his duty, as it has been also his pleasure, to recommend you for further promotion, and I have now the satisfaction of putting into your hands your commission as Lieutenant in the army, and in place of Lieutenant Grimwood, who retires, in your own Regiment, to which you are a credit and an ornament. (Hear, hear,' from Captain Parkhurst.) I never had more pleasure in welcoming a young gentleman to our society than I have at this moment in welcoming you."

General applause followed this speech, under cover of which Lady M'Adam and her two satellites managed to escape from the Duchess's apartments, which, it may be added, they never entered again.

Having affectionately bidden good night to her kind hostess, Evelyn retired as early as possible, and was escorted to her rooms by her soldier brother. And there a new surprise overtook them, for who should they find awaiting their return but