"I beg your pardon, my lord, but were you expecting a young lady?" "A what, Selby?" Wolfenden exclaimed, looking at him in amazement. "A lady, my lord: a young lady." "Of course not," said Wolfenden, with a frown. "What on earth do you mean?" Selby gathered courage. "A young lady called here about an hour ago, and asked for you. Johnson informed her that you might be home shortly, and she said she would wait. Johnson, perhaps imprudently, admitted her, and she is in the study, my lord." "A young lady in my study at this time of night!" Wolfenden exclaimed, incredulously. "Who is she, and what is she, and why has she come at all? Have you gone mad, Selby?" "Then you were not expecting her?" the man said, anxiously. "She gave no name, but she assured Johnson that you did." "You are a couple of idiots," Wolfenden said angrily. "Of course I wasn't expecting her. Surely both you and Johnson have been in my service long enough to know me better than that." "I am exceedingly sorry, my lord," the man said abjectly. "But the young lady's appearance misled us both. If you will allow me to say so, my lord, I am quite sure that she is a lady. No doubt there is some mistake; but when you see her I think you will exonerate Johnson and me from----" His master cut his protestations short. "Wait where you are until I ring," he said. "It never entered my head that you could be such an incredible idiot." He strode into the study, closing the door behind him, and Selby obediently waited for the bell. But a long time passed before the summons came. CHAPTER IV AT THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR'S The brougham containing the man who had figured in the "Milan" table list as Mr. Sabin, and his companion, turned into the Strand and proceeded westwards. Close behind it came Harcutt's private cab--only a few yards away followed Densham's hansom. The procession continued in the same order, skirting Trafalgar Square and along Pall Mall.