Precisely as the clock struck ten, Kent-Lauriston entered the smoking-room to find it in sole possession of Stanley, who stood leaning against the mantelpiece, lost in thought--a cigar, long ago gone out, hanging listlessly between his fingers. "I'm afraid I'm late," said his genial adviser, glancing at the clock, "but I was just finishing a game of cribbage with Mr. Riddle." "I don't envy you his society," growled the Secretary, whose temper was not improved by recent experiences. "You misjudge him," replied Kent-Lauriston. "He's a very good fellow, in more senses of the word than one--he's just given Mr. Lambert a thumping big cheque, for the restoration of his little church." "And made you the recipient of the fact of his generosity?" "Far from it; our gossiping little parson did that, in direct violation of a pledge of secrecy; for Riddle never wishes his good works to be known--he's not that kind." "I consider him a hypocrite," replied Stanley shortly. "Then you do him a great injustice, my dear boy; and allow me to say, you'll never make a good diplomat till you've arrived at a better knowledge of human nature; it's the keystone of the profession. But, to change the subject, how have you been spending the evening?" "Oh, making a fool of myself, as usual." "So I suppose. What particular method did you adopt this time?" "First, I chivied our amiable parson from pillar to post, in this very room, till I'd forced the admission of an important fact from him, and the practical admission of another." "And then," continued Kent-Lauriston, "you went and tried the effect of your statements on the young ladies." "I believe you're equipped with X-rays instead of eyes, Kent-Lauriston, for you were smoking down here and couldn't have seen me!" "No, but I saw the ladies--afterwards." "To speak to?" "Oh, no. One of them at least has a rooted aversion to me. I know too much." "What were they doing?" "Pulling each other's hair out, I should judge, or its equivalent in polite society. What did you learn from the parson?" "That he had not married Kingsland to Lady Isabelle; that Kingsland had been married to somebody; and a refusal to say that that somebody was Miss Fitzgerald, which was tantamount to an admission of the fact." "Exactly, and what did you say to the young ladies?" "I asked Miss Fitzgerald if she was Lieutenant Kingsland's wife?" "And she denied it?" "Absolutely." "What else?" "I charged Lady Isabelle with not having married Kingsland." "And what was her answer?" "I didn't wait to receive it." "Had you done so, she would have denied it likewise." "You think so?" "I am certain of it, and, if it's any satisfaction to you, I can tell you that by your action you ensured Miss Fitzgerald one of the worst quarters of an hour at her Ladyship's hands that she is likely to experience for a very long time." "But Mr. Lambert assured me solemnly, that he did not perform the ceremony between Lady Isabelle and the Lieutenant."