ration, disguised by feigned indifference. They had perforce to listen to their wives' views upon girls staying unchaperoned at hotels.
The single men looked on her with open admiration, and eyed each other with covert suspicion. Suddenly there had been kindled in their hearts the flame of romance, the roof that sheltered them also sheltered the famous heiress. Their emotions soared high into space.
None had ever met an heiress before. In the minds of all there was a dim idea that beauty and wealth were never to be found roaming together. To them the word "heiress" called up visions of plain features and shapeless bodies. Possibly that was why the thought of marrying an heiress had never suggested itself to them. Here, however, was Providence frankly playing into their hands.
Beresford was struck by the ingenuity displayed by various of the male guests in endeavouring to get to know Lola. Some were gentlemen; but many were merely opportunists. One little man, who looked like "Our Mr. Something-or-other," was particularly assiduous. One day when walking just in front of Lola he deliberately pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket, and with it fluttered a one-pound note. Lola walked over the note as if it had not existed, and the little man, after an awkward pretence of having discovered his loss, had turned and retrieved it.
On another occasion he had burst unceremoniously into a telephone-box occupied by Lola, and
