ither be turned out of her
cottage nor see the destruction of her plum tree. By the way--"
with a perfectly natural change of tone, dismissing at once both
Mrs. Prettyman and Death--"the plum tree _is_ down, I suppose? You
saw it?"

"Very much down!" answered Lavendar. "And certainly we saw it! Carnaby
does nothing by halves!"

A slight change, a kind of shade of softening, passed over Mrs. de
Tracy's stern features, as the shadow of a summer cloud may pass over
a rocky hill. She turned suddenly to Robinette. "Can you tell me on
your word of honour that you had nothing to do with Carnaby's action;
that you did not put it into his head to cut the plum tree down!"

"I?" exclaimed Robinette, scarlet with indignation. "_I?_ Why--do you
want to know what I think of the action? I think it was perfectly
brutal, and the boy who did it next door to a criminal! There!"

Mrs. de Tracy seemed convinced by the energy of this disclaimer. "I
have always considered yours a very candid character," she observed
with condescension. "I believe you when you say that you did not
influence Carnaby in the matter, though I strongly suspected you
before."

"Well, upon my word!" ejaculated Robinette when they had got out of
the room, too completely baffled to be more original. "What does she
mean? Has any one ever understood the workings of Aunt de Tracy's
mind?"

"Don't come to me for any more explanations! I've done my best for my
client!" cried Lavendar. "I give up my brief! I always told you Mrs.
de Tracy's character was entirely singular."

"Let us hope so!" commented Robinette with energy. "I should be sorry
for the world if it were plural!"

* * * * *

Carnaby was not in the house, and Lavendar proceeded to look for him
out of doors. He knew the boy was often to be found in a high part of
the grounds behind the garden, where he had some special resort of his
own, and he went there first. The afternoon had clouded over, and a
slight shower was falling, as Mark followed the wooded path leading up
hill. A rock-garden bordered it, where ferns and flowers were growing,
each one of which seemed to be contributing some special and delicate
fragrance to the damp, warm air. The beech trees here had low and
spreading branches which framed now and again exquisite glimpses of
the river far below and the wooded hills beyond it.

Lavendar had not gone far when he found Carnaby, Carnaby intensely
pe