a
suppressed excitement was in his veins. For no matter how eventful your
life may be, or how accustomed you are to chances and vivid amusements,
to be facing a marriage ceremony with a practically unknown young woman
has aspects of originality in it calculated to set the pulses in motion.

He had almost forgotten that side of the affair which meant freedom and
safety for him from the claws of the Spider--although he had learned
upon his return home from London that she had, as Henry Fordyce had
predicted that she might, "popped in upon him," having motored over from
Ebbsworth, and had left him a letter of surprised, intense displeasure
at his unannounced absence.

When five minutes had passed, and there was as yet no sign of his
promised bride crossing the road from the Inn, Mr. Arranstoun began to
experience an unpleasant impatience. The quarter chimed--his temper
rose--had she been playing a trick upon him and never intended at any
time to come? He grew furious--and paced the fine turf behind the Lodge,
swearing hotly as was his wont when enraged.

Then he saw a little figure wrapped in a gray dust cloak much too big
for it advancing cautiously to the gate in the twilight, and he bounded
forward to meet her and to open the narrow side-entrance before the
Lodge-keeper, Old Bessie, could have time to see who was there.

"At last!" he cried, when they were safely inside and had gone a few
paces along the avenue. "I was beginning to think you did not mean to
keep your word! I am glad you have come!"

"Why, of course I meant to keep my word. I never break it," Sabine said
astonished. "I am longing to be free just like you are, but I had an
awful business to get away! I have never been so excited in my life!
Their train was late--some breakdown on the branch line--they did not
get in until half-past eight, and I dare not be all dressed, but had to
pretend to be in bed, covered up, still with the awful headache, when
Aunt Jemima bounced in." Then she laughed joyously at the recollection
of her escape. "The moment she had gone off to her supper, tucking me up
for the night, I jumped up and got on my dress and hat and her dust
cloak and then I had to watch my moment, creep down those funny little
stairs, and out of the side door--and so across here. You know it was
far harder to manage than the last feast Moravia Cloudwater and I gave
to the girls the night before she went to Paris! Isn't it fun! I do like
having these a