een a
benefit. There's a penalty attached to the habit of close observation;
one sees things that hurt."

He spoke with dry humour, but his words had their effect on his
companion, who was by no means philosophical. When she studied human
weaknesses it was with the object of turning them to her advantage, but
the shrewd, upright soldier saw them as things to avoid or recognize
with scorn. He, however, plucked a bunch of crimson berries which he
gave her.

"This," he said, "is in my opinion an exceptionally beautiful bush.
Mrs. Keith sent it me from the Tyrol some years ago."

"You are old friends then?"

"Our friendship is of forty years standing, which I should imagine is a
severe test, but in many ways we are alike, and Margaret Keith knows
enough about me to make allowances. We are both well-seasoned and
strong-willed, and sometimes we differ, but I must confess that
whenever the point has been one of importance time has proved her
right."

Mrs. Chudleigh looked up at him, smiling. "That is a handsome
admission, because I shouldn't imagine you easily changed your mind."

"No; as one grows older one's ideas are apt to fall into a groove. It
requires an effort to force them out of it."

She said nothing for a few minutes, though his confession had its
significance, since she must sooner or later persuade him to abandon
one fixed idea.

"After all, none of us find that easy," she remarked.

He glanced across the lawn, where Millicent was talking to Greythorpe.
"That girl has a very attractive face. I don't merely mean that it's
pretty."

"What do you call it then?"

He seemed to ponder. "I think I could best say it looks untainted,
though that is rather vague. There's purity in it, by which I don't
mean the guilelessness of inexperience."

"That could hardly be, considering who Miss Graham's father was, and
that she has earned her living for some years."

There was a hint of surprise in the look Challoner gave her and she saw
that she had made a mistake.

"A few people have natures which can't be spoiled," he said. "To them
knowledge brings pity or shrinking instead of temptation. I think Miss
Graham is to be numbered among these, and she is in good hands with my
old friend."

Two or three minutes afterwards, Mrs. Keith resolutely crossed the lawn
towards them, but her determined expression softened as she approached
Challoner.

"Do you know that I feel neglected?" she said. "Where are