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 tion clear,

ORDER OF THE CZAR.

but at the same time she would have " made it hot " foi Philip, as Sam Sehvyn would have put it.

What, by the way, would not Sam have given to have had the encouragement to hope which a knowledge of Philip's declaration to the countess would have war- ranted ? If he could only have had the assistance of Don Cleofas of the two sticks, and have seen the shadow of Philip's insincerity cast forward upon the path which now looked so certain to lead to Sam being one day invited to the wedding reception of Dolly and Philip Forsyth, at Norwood or at Westbury Lodge !

By the time Philip reached Paris he had contrived to forget a great deal of what had transpired during the day, or, if not to forget, to so far ignore it as to meet Dolly the next morning at breakfast in the cheeriest holiday frame of mind. And she looked " so awfully nice, don't you know," as Swynford would have said; so fresh and sweet, so paintable, and so lovable too, as Philip said to himself. Mrs. Milbanke was none the less charming in her matronly fashion. Both of them were dressed in light frocks, sug- gesting a pleasant fussiness of frill and collar, of ribbon and tabs, of dainty flowers at the neck or waist, matching the white apartment of the well-kept hotel. Their rooms looked out upon a courtyard which was gay with tubbed laurel, and tented tables, and bright with April sunshine; April beginning to verge into May, and verging with all due respect to morning dresses, white rooms, open win- dows, and breakfasts al fresco.

The Milbanke rooms filled one side of the courtyard and were^ suite, Philip Forsyth being allotted the furthest chamber, which Walter had made especially pleasant with an addition of a choice box of cigarettes, and Dolly with a jug of roses. They were a very representative party, everybody in the hotel thought, thoroughly English, both as to their complexions and their easy extravagance. The