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198 BY ORDER OF THE CZAR.

Samivel; but for all that my wife in the West End would be Lady Selwyn ; and after all that's the only good of a title ; it's either for the missus or the boy ; at least in the case of real grit; as for the Snooters who get titles up in the City well, but it is all right ; surely, I am not making a grievance of it ; and as for Sir Richard Smyth, Sir Harry Dane and those other two fellows who sprang up the other day out of fish and fruit into knighthoods, they are very good fellows after all."

" Carriage at the door, sir," said Devereux.

" Thanks," Sam replied. " My coat all right, Dev- ereux? "

" Yes, sir/' said Devereux, hitching up the collar and pulling it down again with a professional air. " Good fitting coat, sir."

" That's all right," said the master. " Shall dine at the club."

"Yes, sir."

" Ready to dress at seven."

" Yes, sir."

CHAPTER XXVI.

LADY FORSYTH AT HOME.

AND half an hour later Samuel Selwyn, Esquire, looking his very best, shook hands with Lady Forsyth, in a dark- ened room, and surrounded by a delightful mixture of Somebodies and Nobodies, guests from Mayfair, and callers from Brixton. Sam felt quite an important person when he encountered little Lomas, the author of " City Notes " in the. Society Snapper, and who every Friday made a point of looking Sam up for " a few financial hints, don't you know." Little Lomas was quite conspicuous on this occasion. *' Made five and twenty," thought Sam,