ty," said Captain Forsythe.

"And that is why," with a quick sidelong glance, drawing her skirts
around her as she stood gracefully poised, "Mr. Steele appears so
interested?"

"Interested?" The subject of her comment seemed to pull himself together
with a start, regarded her. Was he, in the surprise of the moment, just
in the least disconcerted by that bright presence, the beautiful clear
eyes, straight, direct, though laughing? "Perhaps appearances are--" he
found himself saying.

"Deceptive!" she completed lightly. "Well, if you weren't interested,
Captain Forsythe was. He, I know, is quite incorrigible when you get him
on his hobby."

"Oh, I say, Miss Jocelyn!"

She came forward; light and brightness entered the room with her.
"Quite!" The slender figure stood between the two men. "We expect any
time he'll be looking around here next, to find something to
investigate!"

"Here?" John Steele smiled. "What should he find here?"

"In sleepy Strathorn? True!"

A shrill whistle smote the air; Steele's glance turned to the window.
The boy, having delivered his message, had left the door; with lips
puckered to the loud and imperfect rendition of a popular street melody,
he was making his way through the grounds. Involuntarily the man's look
lingered on him. "A telegram from London? For whom?"

"I'm afraid it's hopeless, Captain Forsythe. Nothing ever happens at
Strathorn." At the instant the girl's laughing voice seemed a little
farther off. "If something only would--to help pass the time. Don't you
agree with me, Mr. Steele?"

"I--" his glance returned to her quickly, "by all means!"

She looked at him; had she detected that momentary swerving from the
serious consideration of her light words? Her own eyes turned to the
window where they saw nothing but rain. She smiled vaguely, stood with
her hands behind her; it was he now who regarded her, straight, slender,
lithe. There was also something inflexible appearing in that young form,
though so replete with grace and charm.

"To help pass the time!" John Steele laughed. "I--let us hope so."

There had been moments in the past when she had felt she could not quite
understand him; they were moments like these when she seemed to become
aware of something obscuring, falling before her--between them--that
seemed to hold him aloof from her, from the others, to invest him almost
with mystery. Mystery,--romantic idea! A slight laugh welled from the
white throat. In