“How odd I did not think of it before.  Really, you two were dreadful spoons in those days.  Mamma used to worry for fear you’d carry out your threat to run away with her.  And now she’s to be a real live princess.”  Lady Frances created a profound sensation when she resurrected Quentin’s boyhood love affair with the one American girl that all Europe talked about at that moment.  Lord Bob was excited, perhaps for the first time since he proposed to Frances Thornow.

“By Jove, old man, this is rare, devilish rare.  No wonder you have such a deuced antipathy to the prince.  Intuition must have told you that he was to marry one of the ladies of your past.”

“Why, Bob, we were children, and there was nothing to it.  Truly, I had forgotten that pretty child—­that’s all she was—­and I’ll warrant she wouldn’t remember my name if some one spoke it in her presence.  Every boy and girl has had that sort of an affair.”

“She’s the most beautiful creature I ever saw,” cried Lady Jane, ecstatically.  Dickey Savage looked sharply at her vivacious face.  “When did you last see her, Mr. Quentin?”

“I can’t recall, but I know it was when her hair hung down her back.  She left New York before she was fifteen, I’m quite sure.  I think I was in love with a young widow fourteen years my senior, at the time, and did not pay much heed to Dorothy’s departure.  She and her mother have been traveling since then?”

“They traveled for three years before Mrs. Garrison could make up her mind to settle down in Brussels.  I believe she said it reminded her of Paris, only it was a little more so,” said Lord Bob.  “We met them in Paris five years ago, on our wedding trip, and she was undecided until I told her she might take a house near the king’s palace in Brussels, such as it is, and off she flew to be as close to the crown as possible.  She struck me as a gory old party who couldn’t live comfortably unless she were dabbling in blue blood.  The girl was charming, though.”

“She’s in London now,” ventured Sir James.  “The papers say she came especially to see the boat races, but there is a pretty well established belief that she came because the prince is here.  Despite their millions, I understand it is a love match.”

“I hope I may have a look at her while I’m here, just to see what time has done for her,” said Quentin.

“You may have the chance to ask if she remembers you,” said Dickey.

“And if she thinks you’ve grown older,” added Lord Bob.

“Will you tell her you are not married?” demanded Lady Jane.

“I’ll do but one thing, judging from the way you describe the goddess.  Just stand with open mouth and marvel at her magnificence.  Somewhere among my traps I have a picture of her when she was fourteen, taken with me one afternoon at a tin-typer’s.  If I can find it, I’ll show it to her, just to prove that we both lived ten years ago.  She’s doubtless lived so much since I saw her last that she’ll deny an existence so far back as that.”