s not strong enough yet."

"So it seems; he gave us some trouble in getting him back to the cart
after he collapsed in the woods. But it wasn't my fault; he was keen
on coming."

Mrs. Foster made a sign of agreement. Jimmy was her cousin, Lieutenant
Walters, lately invalided home from India.

"Perhaps you were not so much to blame; but that was not what I came to
talk about," she said.

"Then I suppose you want my approval of some new plans. Go ahead with
any arrangements you wish to make, but, as far as possible, leave me
out. Though it was a very wet spring, I never saw the pheasants more
plentiful; glad I stuck to the hand-rearing, though Jenkins wanted to
leave the birds alone in the higher woods. Of course, now we've
cleared out the vermin----"

"Oh, never mind the pheasants!" his wife broke in. "You would talk
about such things all day. The question is----"

"It strikes me it's when are we going to have the house to ourselves?
Though I don't interfere much, I've lately felt that I'm qualifying for
a hotel-keeper."

"You have been unusually patient, and I'm getting rather tired of
entertaining people, but Margaret Keith says she'd like to come down.
You don't mind her?"

"Not a bit, if she doesn't insist on bringing a menagerie. It was cats
last time, but I hear she's gone in for wild animals now. If she turns
up with her collection, we'll probably lose Pattinson; he had all he
could stand on the last occasion. Still, Meg's good fun; ready to meet
you on any ground; keen as a razor."

After a little further talk, Mrs. Foster left him; and a few days later
Mrs. Keith and Millicent arrived at Hazlehurst. Lieutenant Walters was
sitting in a recess of the big hall when Mrs. Foster went forward to
greet them. The house was old and the dark paneling formed a good
background for Millicent's delicate beauty, which was of the blond
type. Walters studied her closely. He liked the something in her face
that hinted at strength of character; and he noted her grace as she
accompanied her hostess up the broad stairs.

When Mrs. Keith and Millicent returned to the hall a half-hour later,
tea was being served.

"Colonel Challoner is eager to see you, Margaret," Mrs. Foster said,
after they had chatted a while. "He excused himself for not coming
this evening because Greythorpe is staying with him for a day or two,
but he made me promise to bring you over to-morrow."

Mrs. Keith acquiesced heartily, for