ly within the net of his retentive memory.

To be sure, he gave her but brief survey, since her companion, in
all likelihood Miss Vanrenen, might quite reasonably attract his
attention. Indeed, she would find favor in the eyes of any young man,
let alone one who had such cause as Viscount Medenham to be interested
in her appearance. In her amazingly lovely face the haughty beauty of
an aristocrat was softened by a touch of that piquant femininity which
the well-bred American girl seems to bring from Paris with her
clothes. A mass of dark brown hair framed a forehead, nose, and mouth
of almost Grecian regularity, while her firmly modeled chin, slightly
more pronounced in type, would hint at unusual strength of character
were not the impression instantly dispelled by the changing lights in
a pair of marvelously blue eyes. In the course of a single second
Medenham found himself comparing them to blue diamonds, to the azure
depths of a sunlit sea, to the exquisite tint of the myosotis. Then he
swallowed his surprise, and lifted his cap.

"May I ask if you are Miss Vanrenen?" he said.

The blue eyes met his. For the first time in his life he was thrilled
to the core by a woman's glance.

"Yes."

She answered with a smile, an approving smile, perhaps, for the
viscount looked very smart in his tight-fitting uniform, but none the
less wondering.

"Then I am here instead of Simmonds. His car was put out of commission
an hour ago by a brutal railway van, and will not be ready for the
road during the next day or two. May I offer my services in the
meantime?"

The girl's astonished gaze traveled from Medenham to the spick and
span automobile. For the moment he had forgotten his role, and each
word he uttered deepened her bewilderment, which grew stronger when
she looked at the Mercury. The sleek coachwork and spotless leather
upholstery, the shining brass fittings and glistening wings, every
visible detail in fact, gave good promise of the excellence of the
engine stowed away beneath the square bonnet. Evidently Miss Vanrenen
had cultivated the habit of gathering information rapidly.

"_This_ car?" she exclaimed, with a delightful lifting of arched
eyebrows.

"Yes, you will not be disappointed in it, I assure you. I am doing
Simmonds a friendly turn in taking his place, so I hope the slight
accident will not make any difference to your plans."

"But--why has not Simmonds himself come to explain matters?"

"He could n