n Cross

XXXI. Feversham returns to Ramelton

XXXII. In the Church at Glenalla

XXXIII. Ethne again plays the Musoline Overture

XXXIV. The End

THE FOUR FEATHERS[1]

[Footnote 1: The character of Harry Feversham is developed from a short
story by the author, originally printed in the _Illustrated London
News_, and since republished.]

CHAPTER I

A CRIMEAN NIGHT

Lieutenant Sutch was the first of General Feversham's guests to reach
Broad Place. He arrived about five o'clock on an afternoon of sunshine
in mid June, and the old red-brick house, lodged on a southern slope of
the Surrey hills, was glowing from a dark forest depth of pines with the
warmth of a rare jewel. Lieutenant Sutch limped across the hall, where
the portraits of the Fevershams rose one above the other to the ceiling,
and went out on to the stone-flagged terrace at the back. There he found
his host sitting erect like a boy, and gazing southward toward the
Sussex Downs.

"How's the leg?" asked General Feversham, as he rose briskly from his
chair. He was a small wiry man, and, in spite of his white hairs, alert.
But the alertness was of the body. A bony face, with a high narrow
forehead and steel-blue inexpressive eyes, suggested a barrenness of
mind.

"It gave me trouble during the winter," replied Sutch. "But that was to
be expected." General Feversham nodded, and for a little while both men
were silent. From the terrace the ground fell steeply to a wide level
plain of brown earth and emerald fields and dark clumps of trees. From
this plain voices rose through the sunshine, small but very clear. Far
away toward Horsham a coil of white smoke from a train snaked rapidly in
and out amongst the trees; and on the horizon rose the Downs, patched
with white chalk.

"I thought that I should find you here," said Sutch.

"It was my wife's favourite corner," answered Feversham in a quite
emotionless voice. "She would sit here by the hour. She had a queer
liking for wide and empty spaces."

"Yes," said Sutch. "She had imagination. Her thoughts could people
them."

General Feversham glanced at his companion as though he hardly
understood. But he asked no questions. What he did not understand he
habitually let slip from his mind as not worth comprehension. He spoke
at once upon a different topic.

"There will be a leaf out of our table to-night."

"Yes. Collins, Barberton, and Vaughan went this winter. Well, we ar