I am afraid I startled you ?" "My dear Grace, it almost looked as if you were terrified at the sound of Julian's name! He is a public celebrity, I know; and I have seen ladies start and stare at him when he entered a room.

But _you_ looked perfectly panic-stricken." She rallied her courage by a desperate effort; she laughed--a harsh, uneasy laugh--and stopped him by putting her hand over his mouth.
"Absurd!" she said, lightly.

"As if Mr.Julian Gray had anything to do with my looks! I am better already.

See for yourself!" She looked round at him again with a ghastly gayety; and returned, with a desperate assumption of indifference, to the subject of Lady Janet's nephew.

"Of course I have heard of him," she said.