“Hunts, does he?” The editor rose in her mind from the state of neuter to something of a man. “I recollect an article in that paper on the Ormont duel. I hate duelling, but I side with my brother. I had to laugh, though. Luckily, there's no woman on hand at present, as far as I know. Ormont's not likely to be hooked by garrison women or blacks. Those coloured women--some of ours too--send the nose to the clouds; not a bad sign for health. And there are men like that old Cardinal Guicciardini tells of... hum! Ormont's not one of them. I hope he'll stay in India till this blows over, or I shall be hearing of provocations.” “You have seen the Duke?” She nodded. Her reserve was a summary of the interview. “Kind, as he always is,” she said. “Ormont has no chance of employment unless there's a European war. They can't overlook him in case of war. He'll have to pray for that.” “Let us hope we shan't get it.” “My wish; but I have to think of my brother. If he's in England with no employment, he's in a mess with women and men both. He kicks if he's laid aside to rust. He has a big heart. That's what I said: all he wants is to serve his country. If you won't have war, give him Gibraltar or Malta, or command of one of our military districts. The South-eastern 'll be vacant soon. He'd like to be Constable of the Castle, and have an eye on France.” “I think he's fond of the French?” “Loves the French. Expects to have to fight them all the same. He loves his country best. Here's the man everybody's abusing!” “I demur, my lady. I was dining the other day with a client of mine, and a youngster was present who spoke of Lord Ormont in a way I should like you to have heard. He seemed to know the whole of Lord Ormont's career, from the time of the ride to Paraguay up to the capture of the plotting Rajah. He carried the table.” “Good boy! We must turn to the boys for justice, then. Name your day for this man, this editor.” “I will see him. You shall have the day to-night.” Lady Charlotte and the editor met. She was racy, he anecdotal. Stag, fox, and hare ran before them, over fields and through drawing-rooms: the scent was rich. They found that they could talk to one another as they thought; that he was not the Isle-bound burgess, nor she the postured English great lady; and they exchanged salt, without which your current scandal is of exhausted savour. They enjoyed the peculiar novel relish of it, coming from a social pressman and a dame of high society. The different hemispheres became known as one sphere to these birds of broad wing convening in the upper blue above a quartered carcase earth. A week later a letter, the envelope of a bulky letter in Lord Ormont's handwriting, reached Lady Charlotte. There was a line from the editor: “Would it please your ladyship to have this printed?” She read the letter, and replied: “Come to me for six days; you shall have the best mount in the county.”