"It's not," said Maud, "any one you've ever seen." "Ah then I give you up!" And Mrs.Dyott conformed for the rest of Maud's stay to the spirit of this speech.

It was made on a Saturday night, and Mrs.Blessingbourne remained till the Wednesday following, an interval during which, as the return of fine weather was confirmed by the Sunday, the two ladies found a wider range of action.

There were drives to be taken, calls made, objects of interest seen at a distance; with the effect of much easy talk and still more easy silence.

There had been a question of Colonel Voyt's probable return on the Sunday, but the whole time passed without a sign from him, and it was merely mentioned by Mrs.Dyott, in explanation, that he must have been suddenly called, as he was so liable to be, to town.

That this in fact was what had happened he made clear to her on Thursday afternoon, when, walking over again late, he found her alone.