girl above him.

"We thought we'd left the sun behind us, Constance, but evidently 'she'
is still overhead," he said, smiling.

She looked down with mock reproof, playfully shaking at him a flower
which she held in her hand.

"I thought compliments were out of date, Adrien. Have you enjoyed your
drive?"

"Not half so much as the welcome," was the courteous reply, as he caught
the rose which she had let fall.

She laughed, and blushed a little, then turned to the other members of
the party, who had now alighted from the car.

"Ah, Lord Standon, I did not know you were coming." Then, as that young
man's face lengthened, she added quickly: "Unexpected pleasures are
always welcome. I am glad to see you, Mr. Paxhorn."

After a word of greeting to Mortimer Shelton, she drew back into her
room; while the men, laughing and chatting, passed into the great hall,
where they found Lord Barminster awaiting them. His stern face softened
into a welcome, as, with outstretched hand, he came forward to greet his
guests.

"Ah, Shelton!" he said, "so you keep my boy company, and you, Paxhorn
and Standon. Gentlemen, you are welcome--though there's no need to
remind you of that, I know. Adrien," turning to his son, "you have a
fine day, did you drive or ride?"

"We motored down, sir," answered the young man, in his soft, melodious
voice.

His father frowned slightly. He heartily detested all modern
innovations, and would never hold that motors--or, indeed, any increased
facilities for travelling--were improvements. "They breed discontent,
sir," he would declaim vigorously. "In my young days people were content
to stay in the place in which they had been born, and do their duty.
Now, forsooth, they must see this country and that, and visit a dozen
places in the year, where their grandparents visited one. Anything for
an excuse to fritter away their hard-earned savings!"

On this occasion, however, he made no comment, but turned to Mortimer
Shelton.

"You'll find the roads here better suited for horses than for oil-cans,"
he said grimly. "We are primitive, as you know."

Shelton laughed; but he knew his host's ideas on this subject, and was
apt to respect them.

"So much the better, sir," he said in a cheerful tone; "I am a bit tired
of the smell of petrol myself. Give me Nature without a corset."

"You'll certainly get that here," Lord Barminster replied, favouring his
young guest with an approving glance.

Shortly after