nes was
in hysterics, and Maud was gazing like a creature turned to stone at
the open window, through which little puffs of fog were already drifting
into the room. Adolphus, with an air of bewilderment, was standing with
his mouth and eyes wider open than they had ever been in his life. And
as for the honoured guest of these admirable inhabitants of Daisy Villa,
there was not the slightest doubt but that Mr. Spencer Fitzgerald had
disappeared through the window!

Fitzgerald's expedition was nearly at an end. Soon he paused, crossed
the road to a block of flats, ascended to the eighth floor by an
automatic lift, and rang the bell at a door which bore simply the number
II. A trim parlourmaid opened it after a few minutes' delay.

"Is Miss Emerson at home?" he asked.

"Miss Emerson is in," the maid admitted, with some hesitation, "but I am
not sure that she will see any one to-night."

"I have a message for her," Fitzgerald said.

"Will you give me your name, sir, please?" the maid asked.

An inner door was suddenly opened. A slim girl, looking taller than she
really was by reason of the rug upon which she stood, looked out into
the hall--a girl with masses of brown hair loosely coiled on her head,
with pale face and strange eyes. She opened her lips as though to call
to her visitor by name, and as suddenly closed them again. There was not
much expression in her face, but there was enough to show that his visit
was not unwelcome.

"You!" she exclaimed. "Come in! Please come in at once!"

Fitzgerald obeyed the invitation of the girl whom he had come to visit.
She had retreated a little into the room, but the door was no sooner
closed than she held out her hands.

"Peter!" she exclaimed. "Peter, you have come to me at last!"

Her lips were a little parted; her eyes were bright with pleasure; her
whole expression was one of absolute delight. Fitzgerald frowned, as
though he found her welcome a little too enthusiastic for his taste.

"Violet," he said, "please don't look at me as though I were a prodigal
sheep. If you do, I shall be sorry that I came."

Her hands fell to her side, the pleasure died out of her face--only her
eyes still questioned him. Fitzgerald carefully laid his hat on a vacant
chair.

"Something has happened?" she said. "Tell me that all that madness is
over--that you are yourself again!"

"So far as regards my engagement with Messrs. Howell & Wilson," he said,
despondently, "you are righ