A Lost Leader

ards, only to find a little crowd of holiday-makers in possession of the golf links and the green tufted stretch of sandy shore. The day had been long, almost irksome. A fit of restlessness had d

gers. He threw it impatiently away. The

he house, and seeing him, crossed

d, "you look almost as dull as I f

wered. "Whilst we are about

seems to have gone away whose presence made this place endurable. Uncle, do you know w

om seaward. Above their heads flights of sea-gulls were floating o

k at all," he said, quietly. "I heard

Leslie Bo

ted," Mannering remarked, dryly,

eaned back

hat makes you such a

ed, lightly. "There are not many people i

was worth while

g did no

tinued, "was more than just worth wh

ones," Mannering remarked, grim

ell?" she asked, with a sp

harming woman. Since both these people have passed out of

st I must talk, and you must pretend to listen. I posi

chard?" Mann

"I wish he'd stay away for a month. Of course he's a very good sort, and all that, but he's deadly monotonous. Un

the links

boys who looked quite nice. One of them was really delightful when I showed him where

he seemed to bring with her into the cool, quiet garden, with its country odours and general air of peace, an alien note. One almost heard the deep undercry from a far-away world of suffering-the great, ever-moving wheels seemed to have caught her up and thrown her down in this most in

imed. "Why-is ther

wered. "But I had to see you. I

out hi

find you something to eat. Clara, this is Hester Phillimore, the daughter of an old f

e added pleasantly to the girl. "You must be horribly tired travelling t

a moment, glancing n

. "I only came because I thought th

le. There are no trains, and you are tired out already. Go int

he wondered, this secret chapter in their lives-the one sore place so impossible to forget, the cupboard of shadows never wholly closed, shadows which at any moment might steal out and encompass his darkening life? He sat there motionless, and his thoughts travelled backwards. There were many things in his life which he had forgotten, but never this. Every word that had been spoken, every deta

" Clara said. "Afterwards I will come back to y

, colourless face had lost everything except expression. If the weariness, which seemed to have found a home in her eyes, was just now absent, it was be

ter," he said, "and don

yed him

t once what has happened. Sir Leslie Borrowdean has been coming to see mother. Last night he took her out to dinner. She ca

eslie Bor

es

e took the girl's thin white hand in h

nd when you came to see me. But Sir Leslie Borrowdean has no reason to make himself my e

asked, "has he gone o

ng stop

ut a motive. I believe that I can even guess what it is. Don't let this thing di

he kn

," Mannering answered, "be

t silent fo

ve been an idio

lp me to save the situation. I must confess that I should not like to have been taken by surprise. You have saved m

iled a litt

o long as this," she said. "I must go ba

at it was useless to

carry. Only it seems a little unfair that Providence shou

the creeks betokened the change of tide. Faint wreaths of mist were rising up from ove

burden, after all, is easier for me. A man may forget his troubles here

stole i

understand. Don't let th