dly knew what he had said. He only remembered he
had looked full and deep into beautiful eyes, and suddenly it was as
though his dead love Joan had come back to him.

Presently she slowed down so that he came up to her, and it was
noticeable that something in her whole attitude had changed. She was
as upright as he now, and her eyes also looked rigidly ahead. He saw
the change without understanding it and wondered a little, without
troubling to probe.

"Your friends, Mr. and Mrs. Grenville," she said coldly, "would they
care to see us if we called, or would they think it perhaps just
vulgar curiosity?"

"They would be delighted; visitors are a very rare treat to them." He
was puzzled a little at her manner, but let it pass. Meryl had it on
the tip of her tongue to add, "They don't mind even millionaires'
daughters?" but her own good taste saved her from a momentary
satisfaction that a man of his breeding could only have considered
bourgeoise.

"Perhaps Mr. Stanley would take us," was all she suffered herself; and
added, "From his account Mrs. Grenville is evidently one of Rhodesia's
heroines."

"She is," he answered so simply that Meryl felt a little nonplussed.

When they reached the camp Diana had already dismounted and gone into
their tent, whither Meryl followed her.

"Well," she said, "how did you get on with The Bear? Did he chore you
up over anything?"

Meryl considered a moment before replying. "One moment I thought him
the rudest man I have ever met, and the next ..." she seemed puzzled
how to explain.

"And the next I suppose he didn't seem a man at all, only a pillar of
stone!..."

For answer, she said thoughtfully, "I wonder if something hurt him
very badly some time or other?"

"If it did, it doesn't exempt him from the ordinary amenities of human
intercourse. He isn't the only man who has been hurt." And Diana
kicked off her boots impatiently.

"No," said Meryl; "but it makes it a little easier to forgive him."

"Don't do anything so foolish. You'll end by thinking him interesting
and falling in love with him; which would be too utterly silly when
you are as good as engaged to Dutch Willy, and when he, The Bear,
would care about as much as my foot," with which dictum she put her
head out through the tent flap, and called to Stanley and Carew,
"Hey! Mr. Stanley! don't go away. Stay and keep us company in my
uncle's absence. I believe he is venturing into The Bear's den
to-night."

Carew