CHAPTER XXV.
A CONFERENCE When Malcourt arrived at Luckless Lake Sunday evening he found Portlaw hunched up in an arm-chair, all alone in the living-room, although the hour was still early.
"Where's your very agreeable house-party ?" he inquired, looking about the empty room and hall with an air of troubled surprise.
"Gone to bed," replied Portlaw irritably,--"what's left of 'em." And he continued reading "The Pink 'Un." "Really!" said Malcourt in polite concern.
"Yes, really!" snapped Portlaw.

"Mrs.Ascott went to Pride's and took Wayward and Constance Palliser; that was Friday.

And Gray and Cecile joined them yesterday.

It's been a horrible house-party; nobody had any use for anybody else and it has rained every day and--and--to be plain with you, Louis, nobody is enchanted with your relatives and that's the unpleasant truth!" "I don't blame anybody," returned Malcourt sincerely, removing his driving-gloves and shaking off his wet box-coat.

"Why, I can scarcely stand them myself, William.