"What beautiful names all these people seem to have," said Lady Jocelyn.  "Who is 'Lightning Lopez'?" 

 "He calls himself the champion welter-weight of Europe," replied Tony a little contemptuously. "He's half an American and half a Livadian. That's why Pedro has taken him up." 

 "Pedro?" repeated Lady Jocelyn.  "Do you mean King Pedro?" 

 Tony nodded.  "Yes, Lopez is being backed by royalty or rather ex-royalty. We hope to have five hundred of the best out of His Majesty by to-morrow night." 

 "Are you a friend of Pedro's?" asked Lady Jocelyn. 

 "Oh, hardly that," said Tony.  "He belongs to the Cosmo, you know, and I often meet him at races and first nights." 

 Lady Jocelyn paused for a moment. 

 "I remember him very well as a little boy at Portriga before the revolution," she said.  "What has he grown up like?" 

 "Well," observed Tony, thoughtfully brushing some cigarette ash from his sleeve, "he's short and fat and dark and rather spotty, and he drinks too much." 

 Lady Jocelyn nodded.  "Ah!" she said, "just like his poor father. Has he inherited the family weakness for female society?" 

 "He's a bit of a rip," said Tony.  "Or rather he was. Molly Monk of the Gaiety has got hold of him now, and I think she keeps him pretty straight. She's not the sort to stand any nonsense, you know." 

 "I will take your word for it, Tony," said Lady Jocelyn gravely. 

 Tony laughed.  "Well, you can, Aunt Fanny," he returned.  "I've known Molly since she was a little flapper. She is the granddaughter of old Monk who used to look after the lodge at Holbeck." 

 Lady Jocelyn raised her eyebrows.  "Dear me!" she exclaimed.  "Is that so, Tony! Why I remember the old man perfectly. She must be a clever girl to have got on like she has. What a pity she couldn't be content with her profession." 

 "Oh, Molly's all right," said Tony carelessly. "She's straight enough as girls of that sort go. You can be quite sure she's really fond of Pedro or she wouldn't have anything to do with him." 

 "He didn't sound exactly lovable from your description of him," remarked Lady Jocelyn. 

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