You're always a living reproach!" Mrs.Dyott gave a sigh.

"I don't do it on purpose.

The only thing, this afternoon," she went on, reverting to the other question, "would be their not having come down." "And as to that you don't know." "No--I don't know." But she caught even as she spoke a rat-tat-tat of the knocker, which struck her as a sign.

"Ah there!" "Then I go." And Maud whisked out.
Mrs.Dyott, left alone, moved with an air of selection to the window, and it was as so stationed, gazing out at the wild weather, that the visitor, whose delay to appear spoke of the wiping of boots and the disposal of drenched mackintosh and cap, finally found her.

He was tall lean fine, with little in him, on the whole, to confirm the titular in the "Colonel Voyt" by which he was announced.