The summer breath of the roses blew sweetly in through the long windows of the Countess's morning-room from the little garden outside as Barker and Claudius entered.

There was an air of inhabited luxury which was evidently congenial to the American, for he rubbed his hands softly together and touched one or two objects caressingly while waiting for the lady of the house.

Claudius glanced at the table and took up a book, with that singular student habit that is never lost.

It was a volume of English verse, and in a moment he was reading, just as he stood, with his hat caught between the fingers that held the book, oblivious of countesses and visits and formalities.

There was a rustle and a step on the garden walk, and both men turned towards the open glass door.
Claudius almost dropped the vellum-covered poet, and was very perceptibly startled as he recognised the lady of his Heidelberg adventure--the woman who had got, as by magic, a hold over his thoughts, so that he dreamed of her and wondered about her, sleeping and waking.
Dark-eyed Countess Margaret, all clad in pure white, the smallest of lace fichus just dropped over her heavy hair, moved smoothly up the steps and into the room.
"Good morning, Mr.Barker, I am so glad you have come," said she, graciously extending her hand in the cordial Transatlantic fashion.
"Permit me to present my friend, Professor Claudius," said Barker.
Claudius bowed very low.