one came to meet him, and the house was as silent as if nothing human
inhabited it. He divined the cause of this, having met Prue and Mark
going downward some hours before, and saying to himself, "The boat is
late," he disturbed no one, but strolled into the drawing-rooms and
looked about him. Being one of those who seldom find time heavy on their
hands, he amused himself with observing what changes had been made
during his absence. His journey round the apartments was not a long one,
for, coming to an open window, he paused with an expression of mingled
wonder and amusement.

A pile of cushions, pulled from chair and sofa, lay before the long
window, looking very like a newly deserted nest. A warm-hued picture
lifted from the wall stood in a streak of sunshine; a half-cleared leaf
of fruit lay on a taboret, and beside it, with a red stain on its
title-page, appeared the stolen book. At sight of this Moor frowned,
caught up his desecrated darling and put it in his pocket. But as he
took another glance at the various indications of what had evidently
been a solitary revel very much after his own heart, he relented, laid
back the book, and, putting aside the curtain floating in the wind,
looked out into the garden, attracted thither by the sound of a spade.

A lad was at work near by, and wondering what new inmate the house had
gained, the neglected guest waited to catch a glimpse of the unknown
face. A slender boy, in a foreign-looking blouse of grey linen; a white
collar lay over a ribbon at the throat, stout half boots covered a trim
pair of feet, and a broad-brimmed hat flapped low on the forehead.
Whistling softly he dug with active gestures; and, having made the
necessary cavity, set a shrub, filled up the hole, trod it down
scientifically, and then fell back to survey the success of his labors.
But something was amiss, something had been forgotten, for suddenly up
came the shrub, and seizing a wheelbarrow that stood near by, away
rattled the boy round the corner out of sight. Moor smiled at his
impetuosity, and awaited his return with interest, suspecting from
appearances that this was some _protege_ of Mark's employed as a model
as well as gardener's boy.

Presently up the path came the lad, with head down and steady pace,
trundling a barrow full of richer earth, surmounted by a watering-pot.
Never stopping for breath he fell to work again, enlarged the hole,
flung in the loam, poured in the water, reset the sh