"A woman always seems to think that if she has a face she need not possess a head as well. Personally I prefer both." "You are shockingly cynical!" "Here the power of dialect comes in," continued the artist, "for when I read that a man is 'braw' and a woman is 'bonny,' I know no wells of experience from which to draw cold water to throw on these illusions; therefore my imagination runs riot, and clothes the parties thus described in impossibly perfect attributes. I never met a 'braw lad' or a 'bonny lassie' in my life, that I know of; so I still picture such beings as ideal and glorious creations." After a little more conversation about airy nothings, Lady Eleanor turned to her host and asked in a low voice: "Who is going to take Harry's place at the War Office?" The Secretary of State raised his eyebrows. "I really cannot tell you Cabinet secrets, my dear lady." "Oh! yes, you can. I want dreadfully to know, and I will promise faithfully not to tell anybody, if only you will take me into your confidence. Please do, there's a dear man!" Lord Kesterton hesitated. Lady Eleanor certainly was very attractive, and it is always pleasant to please a pretty woman. Seeing him hesitate, she increased her coaxing tenfold. "Well, suppose that I tell you as a great secret," he said at last, "will you give me your word not to repeat it to anybody?" "Of course I will. I should never think of doing such a thing." Lord Kesterton lowered his voice to a confidential pitch. "The new Under Secretary for War is our honourable friend the member for Chayford." Lady Eleanor's eyes sparkled with delight; it was her _rôle_ to stand behind the scenes of Governments and to give little jerks to the ropes--at least, she thought it was; and now both her curiosity and her love of power were gratified. "I am so glad!" she exclaimed, "he is such a pleasant man--and very clever too, don't you think?" Like all women, Lady Eleanor Gregory considered the word clever was complimentary; like all men, Lord Kesterton considered it quite the reverse. "Clever?" he replied, "my dear young lady, what a word to apply to a brilliant politician I Why, he is already one of the ablest men in the Liberal party, and he has only been in the House three years." "I am so glad you told me. It will interest Harry most tremendously!" Lord Kesterton started. "But you gave me your word that you would not tell anybody." "So I did; I quite forgot. But Harry doesn't count, you know. I never keep anything from him--except, of course, the number of dances that I give to other men; but that is different." "I cannot see why Gravesend doesn't count; he always appears to me to be a man of considerable weight."