“Why?” he asked, taking the glass of Kummel which the waiter had brought and setting it down on a table by him.

“Aren’t you a shy—er—beast?”

He stared at her calmly for a moment, and then said:

“I say, you’re too sharp, Lady Holme.”

He turned his head towards Pimpernel Schley, who was sitting a little way off with her soft, white chin tucked well in, looking steadily down into a cup half full of Turkish coffee and speaking to nobody.

“Who’s that girl?” he asked.

“That’s Miss Pimpernel Schley. A pretty name, isn’t it?”

“Is it? An American of course.”

“Of course.”

“What cheek they have? What’s she do?”