"Not all," said Lady Jabe, "there's Chris----" "Chris is out of the question," said Miss Rayner quickly. "And pray why is he?" asked Sophia in arms at once. She never liked Olivia to have an opinion of her own. "Because I don't love him." "But Chris loves you," said Lady Jabe, "and really he's getting a very good salary in that Tea-merchant's office. Chris, as you are aware, Olivia, is foreign corresponding clerk to Kum-gum Li & Co. He knows Chinese," finished Lady Jabe, with tremendous emphasis. "Oh," Miss Pewsey threw up her claws, "how delicious to be made love to in Chinese. I must really ask Mr. Walker what is the Chinese for 'I love you.'" "Olivia prefers to hear it in English," said Miss Wharf, spitefully. "Quite so, aunt," retorted her niece, her colour rising, "but don't you think we might change the subject. It really isn't very interesting." "But indeed I think it is," said Lady Jabe smartly, "I come here to plead the cause of poor Chris. His heart is breaking. Your aunt is willing to----" "But I am not," said Miss Rayner quickly, "so please let us say no more about the matter. Mr. Walker can marry Lotty Dean." "But she's a grocer's daughter," said Lady Jabe, who was herself the widow of an oil-merchant, "and remember my title." "Lotty isn't going to marry you, Lady Jabe." "Nor Chris, if I can help it," said the other grimly. Miss Wharf was just about to crush Olivia with a particularly disagreeable remark, when the door opened and two gentlemen entered. One was Christopher Walker, a slim, boyish-looking young fellow, in that callow stage of manhood which sees beauty in every woman. The other, who followed, was Miss Pewsey's nephew.