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308 hearing that the present duke was an eccentric character."

"An eccentric character! You call that animal an eccentric character! Why, my dear mother, the man's a blackguard—an utter blackguard, neither more nor less."

The words were strong, but the mother deemed it wiser to let them go unchecked, lest, peradventure, they should be followed by even stronger.

Some hours later Mrs. Paynter paid a visit to Miss Paynter in the young lady's own apartment at the hotel

"Edith, there can be no doubt that he is the Duke of Staines."

"It would make no difference to me if he were ten thousand times the Duke of Staines."

"Don't talk nonsense, my love! The Duke of Staines is the Duke of Staines!"

"If that is the Duke of Staines, he certainly is—with a vengeance."

"His income is nearer three than two hundred thousand pounds; and when he came of age he received nearly two millions in ready money."

"Mamma!" The magnitude of the figures seemed momentarily to impress the maiden. "But you may be quite sure that the ready money is long since spent, and the income mortgaged up to the hilt."

"You are entirely mistaken. Major Bagshawe, who is staying at the hotel, knows all about him. There can be no doubt that the Duke's manners are—peculiar."

"Peculiar!"

"Well, aren't they peculiar? But it seems that his