at lined the
avenue, and Mr Beveridge advanced alone to meet the Lady Alicia. She
blushed very becomingly as he raised his hat.

"I hardly expected to see you to-day, Mr Beveridge," she began.

"I, on the other hand, have been thinking of nothing else," he replied.

She blushed still deeper, but responded a little reprovingly, "It's very
polite of you to say so, but----"

"Not a bit," said he. "I have a dozen equally well-turned sentences at my
disposal, and, they tell me, a most deluding way of saying them."

Suddenly out of her depth again, poor Lady Alicia could only strike out at
random.

"Who tell you?" she managed to say.

"First, so far as my poor memory goes, my mother's lady's-maid informed me
of the fact; then I think my sister's governess," he replied, ticking off
his informants on his fingers with a half-abstracted air. "After that came
a number of more or less reliable individuals, and lastly the Lady Alicia
a Fyre."

"Me? I'm sure I never said----"

"None of them ever _said_," he interrupted.

"But what have I done, then?" she asked, tightening her reins, and making
her horse fidget a foot or two farther away.

"You have begun to be a most adorable friend to a most unfortunate man."

Still Lady Alicia looked at him a little dubiously, and only said, "I--I
hope I'm not too friendly."

"There are no degrees in friendly," he replied. "There are only aloofly,
friendly, and more than friendly."

"I--I think I ought to be going on, Mr Beveridge."

That experienced diplomatist perceived that it was necessary to further
embellish himself.

"Are you fond of soldiers?" he asked, abruptly.

"I beg your pardon?" she said in considerable bewilderment.

"Does a red coat, a medal, and a brass band appeal to you? Are you apt to
be interested in her Majesty's army?"

"I generally like soldiers," she admitted, still much surprised at the
turn the conversation had taken.

"Then I was a soldier."

"But--really?"

"I held a commission in one of the crackest cavalry regiments," he began
dramatically, and yet with a great air of sincerity. "I was considered one
of the most promising officers in the mess. It nearly broke my heart to
leave the service."

He turned away his head. Lady Alicia was visibly affected.

"I am so sorry!" she murmured.

Still keeping his face turned away, he held out his hand and she pressed
it gently.

"Sorrow cannot give me my freedom," he said.

"If there is anything