ea of his discreet
withdrawal until Julia came round the corner of the house to fetch a
trowel, and saw Rawson-Clew coming up the path.

Julia's first feeling was blank amazement, but being a Polkington, and
being that before she took to the simple life and its honest ways, she
allowed nothing more than polite surprise to appear.

"Why!" she said, "I had no idea you were anywhere near here."

"I had no idea that you were until recently," he returned.

She wondered how recently; if it was this minute when chance brought
her for the trowel--very likely it was, and he was here by accident.

"Have you lost your way?" she inquired.

"Not to-day."

"Where were you trying to go?"

"White's Cottage."

"Oh!" she said. He did not look amused, but she felt as if he were,
and clearly it was not accident that had brought him.

"How did you know I was here?" she asked. "There are not many people
who could have told you. I have retired, you know."

He settled his eyeglass carefully in the way she remembered, and
looked first at the cottage and then at her. "I observe the
retirement," he said; "but the corduroy?"

"I am wearing out my old clothes first," she answered.

Just then Johnny's voice was heard. "Hadn't I better water the
plants?" it asked. Next moment Mr. Gillat came in sight carrying a big
water can. "Julia hadn't I better--" he began, then he saw the
visitor.

"Ah, Mr. Gillat," Rawson-Clew said. "How are you? I am glad to see you
again; last time I called at Berwick Street you were not there."

Johnny set down the water can. "Glad to see you," he said beaming;
"very glad, very glad, indeed"--he would have been pleased to see
Rawson-Clew anywhere if for no other reason than that he had shown an
interest in Julia's welfare.

Meanwhile Captain Polkington sat in the kitchen listening for the
sound of the departing motor. But it did not come; everything was
still except for the ceaseless singing of larks, to which he was so
used now that it had come almost to seem like silence. He began to
grow uneasy; what if, after all, Rawson-Clew were not here by accident
and mistake. What if he had come on some wretched and uncomfortable
business? The Captain could not think of anything definite, but that,
he felt, did not make it impossible. The man certainly had not gone,
he must be staying talking to Julia. Well, Julia could talk to him,
she was more fit to see the business through than her father was.
There was some