t.

"Jane! Jim Airth in this house! Who admitted him?"

"I did," replied Mrs. Dalmain, coolly. "I smuggled him in. Not a soul saw
us enter. That was why I sent the carriage on ahead, when we reached the
park gates. We walked up the avenue, turned down on to the terrace and
slipped in by the lower door. He has been sitting in the library ever
since. If you decide not to see him, I can go down and tell him so; he
can go out as he came in, and none of your household will know he has
been here. Dear Myra, don't look so distraught. Do sit down again, and
let us finish our talk.... That is right. You must not be hurried. A
decision which affects one's whole life, cannot be made in a minute, nor
even in an hour. Lord Airth does not wish to force an interview, nor do I
wish to persuade you to grant him one. He will not be surprised if I
bring him word that you would rather not see him."

"Rather not?" cried Myra, with clasped hands. "Oh Jane, if you could know
what the mere thought of seeing him means to me, you would not say
'rather not,' but 'dare not.'"

"Let me tell you how we met," said Mrs. Dalmain, ignoring the last
remark. "I reached Charing Cross in good time; stopped at the book stall
for a supply of papers; secured an empty compartment, and settled down to
a quiet hour. Jim Airth dashed into the station with barely one minute in
which to take his ticket and reach the train. He tore up the platform, as
the train began to move; had not time to reach a smoker; wrenched open
the door of my compartment; jumped in headlong, and sat down upon my
papers; turned to apologise, and found himself shut in alone for an hour
with the friend to whom you had written weekly letters from Cornwall, and
of whom you had apparently told him rather nice things--or, at all events
things which led him to consider me trustworthy. He recognised me by a
recent photograph which you had shown him."

"I remember," said Myra. "I kept it in my writing-case. He took it up and
looked at it several times. I often spoke to him of you."

"He introduced himself with straightforward simplicity," continued Mrs.
Dalmain, "and then--we neither of us knew quite how it happened--in a few
minutes we were talking without reserve. I believe he felt frankness with
me on his part might enable me, in the future, to be a comfort to
you--you are his one thought; also, that if I interceded, you would
perhaps grant him that which he came to seek--the opportunity to a