Charles followed them up the steps. On the third his mistress stopped and turned. Charles halted on the second step.
"There's a man in the taxi?" said Lady Elizabeth interrogatively.
"Yes," replied the girl. "We're keeping him. He's drunk."
"Charles," said Lady Elizabeth, "assist the driver in keeping the person inside from getting out."
"Yes, my lady," said Charles; and, feeling that haply he was mixing in great matters, he went back to the cab and stood sentry very loftily over its further exit.
When they were inside, Lady Elizabeth shut the big door.
"George!" she said; and Bruffin took his eyes from Dick, to see his wife leading towards them a pale-faced, tear-smudged girl, with a battered sun-bonnet flung back on her shoulders and a great halo of untidy red hair topping a graceful, weary figure habited in clothes which, in their present state, would have disgraced the woman they had come from.
George took a step forward, and Dick half rose in courtesy.
"This is Miss ——" said Lady Elizabeth, and stuck.
"Oh, Liz!" cried Dick. "Beginning an introduction, when you haven't been introduced yourself! Lady Elizabeth Bruffin, you have on your arm Miss Caldegard, daughter of the eminent Professor Caldegard. George, you behold the same. Miss Caldegard, Lady Elizabeth Bruffin, and her husband, Mr. George Bruffin. He is famous for immeasurable wealth which he can't use and a few brains which he uses in all sorts of queer ways, and hasn't yet spent."