“Uncle,” she said, “I met Guy coming away from Coniston Mansions.  He was looking for me, and I have brought him to see you.”

Phineas Duge held out his hand, and in obedience to a gesture, the secretary got up and left the room.

“I am very glad to meet you, sir,” he said.  “By the by, my niece has only mentioned your first name.”

“I am the Duke of Mowbray,” Guy said simply, “and I am very glad indeed to meet you if you are Virginia’s uncle.  I think that she treated me rather badly a week ago, but I am disposed,” he added, with a twinkle in his eyes, “to be forgiving.  I want your niece to be my wife, sir.”

“Indeed!” Mr. Duge answered a little drily.  “I can’t say that I am glad to hear it, as I have only just discovered her myself.”

“There is no reason, sir,” Guy answered, “why you should lose her.”

“You don’t even know my uncle’s name yet,” Virginia said, smiling.

“I am Phineas Duge,” Duge answered.  “I dare say you have never heard of me.  You see, I don’t come often to England.”

“Phineas Duge!” Guy gasped.  “What, you mean the—?”

“Oh, yes! there is only one of us,” Duge answered, smiling.  “I am glad to hear that my fame, or perhaps my infamy, has reached even you.”

Guy laughed.

“I don’t think there is much question of infamy,” he said.  “I fancy that over here you will find yourself a very popular person indeed.”

“Even,” Phineas Duge answered, “although I allowed my niece to run away from home and come over here on a wild-goose chase.  It was one of my mistakes, but Virginia has forgiven it.  I suppose she has told you everything now.”

“Everything,” Guy answered, “and we should like to be married as soon as you will allow it.”

“What about your people?” Duge asked.

Guy smiled.

“I fancy,” he said, “that there will be no difficulty at all about that.”

“You two,” Phineas Duge said, “seem to have come across one another in a very unconventional manner, and yet, after all, it seems as though you were doing the thing which your people over here look upon at any rate with tolerance.  I have only two girls to leave my millions to.  You must send your solicitor to see me to-morrow.”

“Virginia knows,” Guy answered, “that I should be only too glad to have her without a sixpence.”

“I myself am fond of money,” Phineas Duge answered, smiling, “but I think that if I were your age I should feel very much the same.”

“Uncle,” Virginia said, “I have seen Mr. Vine and Stella, and I have given them your message.  They are coming to dine with us at eight o’clock to-night.  Couldn’t we—­couldn’t—?”

Phineas Duge interrupted with a little shrug of the shoulders.

“Make it into a family party, I suppose you were going to say?” he remarked.  “My niece hopes that you too will join us,” he added, turning to the young man.