took a book, two cigarettes, a small silver matchbox and a Japanese fan, and went out into the garden. She had no duties this a

n company with her father a year or two ago-and the management of the chil

gs, and across the lawn to the seat below the ancient yews. There she disposed

But she was not very greatly upset. She had written her letter as she had promised, and had heard from Jack Kirkby, to whose care she sent it, that he had no idea of F

oting; that Archie and Lord Talgarth were both up at the house-indeed, she had caught sight of them in the red-curtained chancel-pew this morni

that no one had the slightest idea of his destination; he had asked whether he should put detectives on the track, and had bee

oze; the yews about her made a grateful shade, and the limes behind them even further cooled the air, and, when the breeze awoke, as one talking in his sleep, the sound about her was

er her. She threw her feet down, still bewildered by the sudden change and the glare on wh

apologetically, "but I wa

on him as a pleasant sort of boy whom she occasionally met at lawn-tennis parties an

r," she said. "Did you bicyc

on the seat and held o

r last,"

more in t

as the last shreds of sleep roll

news o

nd drew two or three draugh

" he

re i

he wasn't there when he wrote. I s

ive any accoun

ooked

come about that. It'

" asked Jen

all; at least, h

the matt

t and drew out a letter, which h

Launton. It isn't pleasant, but it's all over

her hand with

ssions. But, of course, it had to be done. He looked out at the lawn and the sleepy house, but was aware of nothing except the girl beside him in her white dres

oy!" she said sud

me. His first impulse had been to ride over instantly after breakfast; then he had postponed it till lunch; then he had eaten some cold b

holly pleasant errand to have to inform a girl that her lover had been in prison for a fortnight. But the tone in which she had just said

y glad you take it

him out of her c

you?... How exactly like Frank! I suppose

hat was it,

old boy!" sh

t's silence. Then

rth. Miss Launton, I wish you'd come with me

thing for an

aid. "Shall we go up pretty soon? I e

ttle. Jenny smil

dentist. But it can't be as bad as you think. It never is. B

ud," observed Jack. "Yes, we'd

d waited. Jenn

r me here, will you? I needn't

I

lump after clump, into the distance, and beneath the nearest stood a great stag with half a dozen hinds about him, eyeing the walkers. The air was very still; only from ove

hand towards the stag. "Did you ever hear of

been quite silent sinc

d many," she said

nd arrows, ending in the flight of a frantic stag over the palin

ord Talgarth's express orders. Certainly he rich

ld wer

h about elev

as more than about twel

ed Jack.... "Oh! Lord! how hot it i

red portico; and at last, when the butler appeared, the irregular state of

hat Frank left the village afte

tainly in the little square among the yews along the upper terrace. His lordship usu

They would find their own

pper terr

ran a broad gravel path up to the sun-dial, bordered on either side by huge herbaceous beds, blazing with the color of late summer. In two or three places grass paths crossed these, leading by a few yards of

south side, turned along the path, went up a dozen broad steps, passed up the

hip was i

h the chair stood. A small table stood beside it, with the Times newspaper tumbled on to it, a box of cigars, a spirit-bottle of iridescent glass, a

ous!" whisp

nder a slow meditative snore. It was not an ob

ugh," asserted Jenny, sti

ing eye opened and regarding him, it seemed, with an expression of extraordinary mal

less m

out a moment while in

aid Jenny. "Mr. Jack Kirkby caugh

. He still stared at them innocently like a child, cl

it is! How do,

id Jenny. "Are you sure

ed a short laugh.) "Sit dow

ning folded against the low wall of ye

cigar,

tha

lly well, and was smart and deferential. Lord Ta

at's the

or Jenny to open the campai

ouldn't entertain him better than by bringing him up to see

ets, drew out a case and

thout the faintest change of tone:

ou? And what's the

remarked Jenny, genially. "He's very we

cast her a p

to," went on Jenny; "but I expect he

nt. Jack saw her put her cigarette up to her mouth with a hand that shook ever

ot it." (She drew it out and began to unfold it, talking all the while with astonishing smoothness and self-command.) "And I'll read

on the other a restraint and a personality so complete and so compelling that they simply held the field and permitted no outburst. Her

roll, Mr. Kirkby.... Co

archway on to the terrace he heard, in an inc

Jack

arth's first utterance would be. But he felt he could trust Jenn

I

d reluctantly to keep his appointment. But he was still thirty yards away from the opening when a white figure in a huge white hat came quickly out. She beckoned to him with her head, and he followed her

" said

sitated

" she said. "Poor old dear! But it seems to me he beh

he going

flog Frank with his own hands, kick him first up the steps of the house then down again, and fi

ut

Jenny. "But if you ask me what he w

suggest a

t my views ar

tho

decent allowance

said Jack. "That's

think

arriage and everything. I suppose it would have to be about eight

," said Jenny. "He gives

e was only quite certain that the thing would have be

ay to Frank?" he aske

s not to write. I'll write myself this evening

said Jack. "I'm a

give me h

You see, Frank's very par

to him? Mr. Kirkby,

t the Rectory. Why shouldn't you write to him now, and let me take th

g whether she were displeas

she said, "if you're sur

s they turned into it. The sun was a little lower now, and the

her all about it after you've gone. Will you go now and wait there

and a neat maid, in apron and cap, had come discreetl

Jack could guess something of what that meant to him; and the tone of the letter had been so utterly unlike what he had been accustomed to from his friend. He would have expected

ed, and had enshrined Jenny in the middle of it. Any wavering or hesitation on her part would have meant misery to his friend. But now all was perfectly right, he reflected; and really, after all, it did not matter very much what Lord Talgarth said or did. Frank was a free

an instant with a letter in her hand; then she stepped over the low sill and came towards him across the grass, serene and dignified an

"Will you direct it? I

nod

!" he said. "It s

ness. He understood perfectly, he said to himself: she was still a little unha

a before you

. They'll be wondering

look. He knew exactly how she was feeling, and he thought her splendi

ave. But she was busy with the tea-things, and a black figure was adva