"From his luggage, I should imagine he was supporting an opera troupe."
"They was labelled 'stereopticon,' sir, but they was that heavy——"
"Thanks," broke in the Secretary. "That's quite sufficient."
He never approved of encouraging gossip, and was not interested in the description of the benevolent county magnate—still less in the weight of his chests—yet he smiled quietly to himself as he dressed for dinner.
CHAPTER X
BEFORE DINNER
The Lieutenant and Miss Fitzgerald were in the billiard-room, and the former was putting in the half-hour which must elapse before dinner by teaching the latter the science of bank-shots.
"I say," queried her instructor, in one of the pauses of the game, "do you know that little diplomatic affair of yours has turned up again? I saw it driving in from the station, half an hour ago.
"Jimsy Stanley, I suppose you mean?"