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 the corner house, old girl, shan't we, when they see the pictures in the papers?"

"I shall rather like to see you persuading Granny, though, Phil-ipp, particularly after what has occurred."

But Phil-ipp affirmed his manly determination to take the risk, especially as Polly desired to bet a shilling that he daren't.

"Done with you. And I'm hanged if we won't go right away and tackle her."

Whereupon the imperious young man, who was revealing a whole gamut of unexpected qualities, bundled Polly straight into a taxi, demanded to be driven to 10 Bedford Gardens—that magic address—and got in himself.

"I say, old girl," said he, as they sped past the windows of the Button Club, "little Marge can be one of your bridesmaids, can't she?"

"Goose," said Mary.

Yes, and a big one, to be scientifically accurate; yet the proudest and happiest young fellow in all the metropolis just now, possessed by the demon of Damn the Consequences.