They sat down close together, and Kay, after one or two suspicious sniffs, threw himself on Lord Chester fawningly, recognizing him as his comrade on the eventful occasion when their combined powers had saved Precious from the fire. "Kay remembers you," said Precious softly. "It was to you and him I owed my life that night. I--I--have wished to thank you so often, but now words fail me. Oh, Lord Chester, I cannot express my gratitude. I was so young to die like that--to leave the beautiful gay world!" She spoke as if life was a great boon. She was so young and fortunate, she did not dream of all the sorrow the world contained; she had a horror of death, that is so welcome to many. "Do not thank me for doing my duty. It is reward enough for me to be sitting here looking at you and listening to you," he answered gently, as he caressed the mastiff that fawned at his knee, and his words were simple truth. It gave him a keen and subtle pleasure to breathe the same air with Precious. The sky was bluer, the air sweeter, the sunshine more golden, the bird songs sweeter, because they two were together there, smiling at each other. "Tell me about papa and mamma," she said, after a moment's silence. "They are well. I saw them yesterday. I went to the capitol with your mother and sister. Your father made a great speech on the tariff--the most brilliant and telling effort I ever heard from his lips. He was applauded to the echo. The galleries went wild." "Dear papa. If I only had been there!" she cried, and her eyes kindled with pride. "In the afternoon," he continued, "I attended Mrs. Winans and Ethel to the reception at the White House given by the president to the cabinet ministers, senators and representatives. It was a grand affair, and the banquet was magnificent." "What did mamma wear? And Ethel?" she queried, with feminine curiosity over silks and laces. Lord Chester laughed and said: "Very few men can describe a woman's dress. I'm not an adept at it, but I remember how they looked. Your mamma wore a pale silvery-blue brocade, softened by dainty real lace and pearls and diamonds. She looked very beautiful. Your sister looked like a queen, in a white silk embroidered lavishly with gold. Her hair was arranged in Grecian style with a fillet of gold studded with rubies. She had so many admirers it was difficult for any one to get within speaking distance." "Dear Ethel, she is so beautiful. She looks like papa, with his splendid eyes and rarely sweet smile! How I wish I had been there with them! But mamma has promised that I shall come out in society next winter. I shall be past seventeen then--too young, mamma and Ethel say, but papa is on my side, and we shall carry the day!" with a sunny, willful smile.