Helena

ht before emerged one by one. Peter Dale had come out early, having quarrelled with his bed almost for the first time in his life. He was now, however, fast asleep in a garden-chair und

the grass, his hands under his head. "Why can't Mother Nature

g himself luxuriously in a deep and comfortable chair under a red hawthorn in full bloom.

ng a rose-bud at Horne, which he had just gathered from a garden-bed at his

d Buntingford. "Who

ng on the grass beside French:-"and le bon Dieu alone knows what he was doing; for h

said Horne tranquilly-"while you fellows

. Then suddenly, as though he ha

rday evening-Ah, here comes Helena! Half the story

room window, with a newspaper she was far too tired to read on her lap, was annoyed to see the general eagerness with which a girl who occasionally, and horribly said "D-mn!" and habi

ng her eyes to the sleeping form under the chestnut. "Ha

," said Horne. "Peter

I meant by 'down.

n exceptions. But now, please, silence. Geoffrey says he has something to tel

her, perceiving at the same moment that she had in he

rey be

rey slowly, "because there was a spy

ws upon a story, he described the vision of the lake-the strange wo

lly dropped his ci

said ironically, as French paused, "

ear the end!" cried Hele

bag at the close of it, so that the tarnish

chief, and looked at the initials, "'F. M.'" He shook his head. "Conveys nothing. But you

subtle-melancholy-intense-more than that!-fierce, fiercely miserable. I guess that the woman possessing it

andsome?"

hrugged hi

bably-when she was

bought at Florence-for I've discovered the address of a shop in it-Frat

ted silk label which had been sewn into the neck of

it up-"the Arms of Florence, embroidered in gold and silver thread. H'm.

ecent rooms, and several cottagers take lodgers. The la

ad just lost her way, and was trespassing-she must have known, I think, that she was trespassing-why didn't she answer my ca

"how long did she stay there? She was

st out

chlight, she found her way in and discovered my seat-how

her, leaving the bag on the seat; or, if she stayed, on my supposition that she was there for the purpose of sp

augh-"four hours. I really can't construct

mused myself a good deal last night, in that observation post. Through that hole I told you of, one could see the lights and the dancing on the lawn, and watch th

ere fancy, or was there a sudden pinkness in her cheeks? Buntingford too see

over about your Incognita, Helena. If she is a holiday visitor, she'll be still on

u are. Af

ed assent and we

*

rench and Helena were left together, and were soon driven by the advancing sun to the deep shade of a lime-avenue, which, starting from the back of the house, ran for half a mile through the park. He

generous opportunity, even, than the gods had given him on the lake. His pulses leapt; goaded, however, by alternate hope and fear.

dark frame, and in the half light of the avenue, the exquisite whiteness of the forehead and neck, the brown eyes, so marvellously large and brilliant, and yet so delicately finished in every detail beneath their perfect brows, and the curve of the lips over the small white teeth, stood out as if they had been painted on ivory by a miniature-painter of the Renaissance. Her white dress, according to the prevailing fashion, was almost low-as children's frocks used to be in the days of our great-grandmothers. It was

st before the Armistice, had taken him to some munition factories in the north, he had been scarcely less seized by the comeliness of the girl-workers:-the long lines of them in their blue overalls, and the blue caps that could scarcely restrain the beauty and wealth of pale yellow or red-gold hair beneath. Is there something in the rush and flame of war that quickens old power

floated through his m

into others much more

e seemed to startle her. She returned evidently with difficulty f

ngly. "Why should we? I

g's getti

season! I thought that was pa

d-"I didn't know how

e sense

hilip want

gets much more work do

d me to b

s it th

m to come down here for Su

thought the Sunday

ve another party for a whole month. Cousin Philip has been treating me

ipulated so fiercely for her week-e

t be tired of

have all sorts of plans for the things we want to do in Lon

!"-a new comb

in the warm light and shade, the golde

you'll be shivering over the fire,"

. "I never imagined I should like the country so much. Of cou

at did

flushed and eva

ench-which is vile. And I do some reading every week for Philip-and some drawing. By the way"-she turned upon her companion-"do you know his drawing

ds can hardly remember that time in hi

that astonished her listener; but before he c

off

es

she had colo

that nonsense I talke

to. Something about old Philip bei

-but I wish to put it on record that Philip isn't a bull

oned opinions?" put

t it's quite true. I'm not a bit crushed. That's the delightful part of it. It's because he has a genius-yes, a genius-for friends

coloured knitting, and Geoffrey c

friend!" she went on softly,

arriage? What do y

o speak of her sometimes, I believe, to mother-of course she never said a word-but never, never, to anyone else. It's quite clear that he wants t

his elbows, and seemed to be examining the performances of an

p from the ant, was aware of conflicting expressions passi

to like this dear old place-He never

a tree-stump near her, and fumbling for a cigarette. The praises of Philip were beco

n he didn't like-and I've made him live in one perpetual racket. I've been

down upon her through curling rings of sm

ha

nts a

s fixed on him wi

uppose

with one? Lady Cynthia, I t

flushed

proposing to Cynthia. Nobody with e

re such great friends-c

suitable," said

uick breath beating ag

t very subtle-are you? What you're thinking is that when I call Phil

offrey put out a soothin

gest anything of the kind? I'm

passionately. "Only a stupid-conventional-mi

, Helena!-then if Philip is really nothing more to you than your gua

onceal. Their eyes met-Helena's at first resentful, scornful even-then soft. She to

ely into her eyes. "You must know what I feel! I wanted to speak to you last night, but you tricked me. I just adore yo

Helena, a triumphant little smile playin

his heart beat to suffocation. "Just give me a w

, withdrawing her hand. "I don't want to be engaged!

he fell back on a cigarette for consolation. "Why can't you

k changes, she came near to him again. "Geoffrey!-it's no good pressing me-

the face that looked into his

y you? Rather not! but you may join th

smile danced i

n say I don't tr

shan't accept the position fo

" she pleaded. Then she gave a little im

to be bound. I won't be b

opos of Philip,"

ary dropping of the eyelids, the soft cat

different! You had no

ffr

-and keep me quiet-just

adow of the avenue. No one was visible in all its green length. They stood ensiled

keep you quiet-

his lips were scarcely allowed to

he said in her most matter-of-fact v

hed pair, enjoying each other's society, and dis

on. And he wished them to go well. He had known Geoffrey since he was a little chap in his first breeches; had watched him through Winchester and Oxford, had taken as semi-paternal pride in the young man's distinguished war record, and had helped him with his election expenses. He himself was intimate with very few of the younger generation. His companions in the Admiralty work, and certain senior naval officers with whom that work had made him acquainted:-a certain intimacy, a certain real friendship ha

, only for different reasons-her bed became her worst enemy, had scarcely slept a wink, but was nevertheless presiding gaily over the tea-table. She looked particularly small and slight in a little dress of thin grey stuff that Helena had coaxed her to wear in lieu of her perennial black, but there was that expression in her pretty eyes as of a lifted burden, and a new friendship with life, which persons in Philip Buntingford's neighbourhood, when they belonged to the race of the meek and gentle, were apt to put on. Peter Dale hung about her, distributing tea and cake, and obedient to all her wishes. More than once in these later weeks he had found, in the dumb sympathy and und

e seen walking up from the l

were turn

y. What a pity mysteries are generally such frauds! They ca

na, as the two men approached

tell-very lit

d Stimson, a labourer, who reported having noticed a strange lady crossing the park in the direction of the wood, which, h

erjected French, "and I saw my lady about eight." Bu

isitors go to see. She ordered some sandwiches at the Rose-and-Crown and got into talk with the landlord. He says she asked the questions strangers generally do ask-'Who lived in the neighbourhood?'-If she took a lodging in the village for August were there many nice places to go and see?-and so on. She said she had visited the Buntingford tombs

ched his head and couldn't tell us. All that we got out of him was he wouldn't like to have her for a lodger-'she'd frighten his missus.' Oh, and he did say that she looked dead-tired, and that he advised her not to w

self to Cynthia Welwyn, who sat beside him; "and his description o

f the night, and make a collected whole of it. Buntingford and Geoffrey were especially thoughtful and preoccupied. At las

orrow's Whitsunday, and Monday's Bank Holiday. What's the use of writing letters? Don't you

d Buntingford's face. Helena perceived it at once

lf an hour, I'll have

presently, she too disappeared. The rest of the party were left to discuss with Geoffrey French the ins and outs of the evidence,

hts of the ball, on such a beautiful night, should have tried to watch it from the lake. The whole tale was curious, but-to her-irrelevant. The mystery she burned to find out was nearer home. Was Helena Pitstone falling in love with Philip? And if so, what was the effect on Philip? Cynthia had not much enjoyed her dance. The dazzling, the unfair ascendency of youth, as embodied in Helena, had been rather m

d by Buntingford, he heard a knock

ng absurdly young and childish in her

ed by my asking you to show us those things. Are you? Please tell

t. Here they are, all r

tributed on chairs, and one or two drawin

a heaven

the gap in the mountains that leads to Lucca, taken from some high po

the war. I do believe you came too?" She

with her in her frail mother's interest, when she was a long-legged, insubordinate child of twelve. And when Helena first arrived at Beechmark, it had hurt him to realize how

hree days. Do you remember the wild

g is Heaven!" she said, under her breath, as she dropped to a si

we go there

t me-and th

ughing, "you could stil

wer. Another kn

ome in, old boy. We'

igent spectators, and their amazement at the quality and variety of th

ith it? Why don't you

ged his

rest me now. It'

ner didn't encourage it. And when the ha

for "a lovely time!" and her pleading for a second show on the morrow, were so graceful, so sweet, that French, as he silently put the drawings back, felt his spirits drop to zero. What could

lf examined, while Buntingford finished a letter. While he was handling it, the

ick them up. A veheme

ord at h

e matter,

I saw!-that's her face!-I

which had fallen out from the very back of the portfolio, whereof the rotti

side. He looked at the

suddenly to tu

eath, and again, still lower-"

beside Geoffrey, and bur

a bewildering tumult of ideas and c

which he took to the window to read. Then with steps which seemed to French to waver like those of a man half drunk he went to his writing-desk, and wrote

e you like." He moved away-but turned back again, speaking with much difficulty-"The woman