He dropped over the wall and strolled away through the garden, the smell of warm earth, moist from the day's light showers, and the faint odor of green things growing, sweet in his nostrils.

He walked to the far end of the pergola, sat down on a wooden bench, and gave himself up to reverie.

He had been denounced as an impostor; he was on Claiborne soil; and the situation required thought.
It was while he thus pondered his affairs that Shirley, walking over the soft lawn from a neighboring estate, came suddenly upon him.
Her head went up with surprise and--he was sure--with disdain.

She stopped abruptly as he jumped to his feet.
"I am caught--_in flagrante delicto_! I can only plead guilty and pray for mercy." "They said--they said you had gone to Mexico ?" said Shirley questioningly.
"Plague take the newspapers! How dare they so misrepresent me!" he laughed.
"Yes, I read those newspaper articles with a good deal of interest.

And my brother--" "Yes, your brother--he is the best fellow in the world!" She mused, but a smile of real mirth now played over her face and lighted her eyes.
"Those are generous words, Mr.Armitage.My brother warned me against you in quite unequivocal language.