y,
fair-faced young man with the gentle strength.

The house party had been augmented during the day by the arrival of
half a dozen men and women from, the city brain-fagged, listless, and
smart. The big cottage now was full, the company complete for
three weeks at least. She looked ahead, this fresh, vigorous young
Englishwoman, and wondered how she was to endure the staleness of
life.

There was some relief in the thought that the men would make love
to the good-looking young married women--at least part of the
time--and--but it depressed her in turn to think of the left-over
husbands who would make love to her.

"Why is it that Evelyn doesn't have real men here--like this Mr.
Shaw?" she found herself wondering vaguely as the night wore on.

CHAPTER III

IN WHICH A DOG TRESPASSES

Penelope was a perverse and calculating young person. She was her own
mistress and privileged to ride as often as she pleased, but it seemed
rather odd--although splendidly decorous--that she did not venture
upon Mr. Shaw's estate for more than a week after her first encounter
with the feudal baron. If she found a peculiarly feminine satisfaction
in speculating on his disappointment, it is not to be wondered at.
Womanly insight told her that Randolph Shaw rode forth each day and
watched with hawk-like vigilance for the promised trespasser. In his
imagination, she could almost hear him curse the luck that was helping
her to evade the patrol.

One morning, after a rain, she rode with the duke to the spot where
Shaw had drawn his line in the road. She felt a thrill of something
she could not define on discovering that the wet soil on the opposite
side of the line was disfigured by a mass of fresh hoof-prints. She
rejoiced to find that his vigil was incessant and worthy of the
respect it imposed. The desire to visit the haunted house was growing
more and more irresistible, but she turned it aside with all the
relentless perverseness of a woman who feels it worth while to
procrastinate.

Truth to tell, Randolph Shaw was going hollow-eyed and faint in his
ceaseless, racking watch for trespassers.

Penelope laughed aloud as she gazed upon the tangle of hoof-print. The
duke looked as surprised as it was possible for him to look after the
wear of the past night.

"Hang it all, Penelope," he said. "I didn't say anything, don't you
know."

"I was just thinking," she said hastily, "what fun it would be for us
to explore the haun