whose
stately rows of trees looked as though made of ebony and burnished
silver in the slanting moonlight. On it came across the bridge spanning
the glistering whiteness of the Long Water. And on again steadily, and
no less rapidly, as though pressed by the hand of a somewhat merciless
driver, hot to arrive, bearer of stirring tidings, up the steeply
ascending hill to the house.

Lady Calmady listened, beginning to question whom this nocturnal
disturber of the peace of Brockhurst might be. But only vaguely as yet,
since that which she had recently experienced was so great, so
wide-reaching in its meaning and promise, that, for the moment, it
dwarfed all other possible, all other imaginable, events. The gracious
tranquillity which enveloped her could not be penetrated by any anxiety
or premonition of momentous happenings as yet. It was not so, however,
with Camp. For a spirit of extravagant and unreasoning excitement
appeared to seize on the dog. Forgetful of age, of stiff limbs and
short-coming breath, he gamboled round Lady Calmady, describing crazy
circles upon the grass, and barking until the unseemly din echoed back
harshly from against the great red and gray facade. He fawned upon her,
abject, yet compelling, and, at last, as though exasperated by her
absence of response, turned tail and bounded away through the
garden-hall and along the terrace, disappearing through the small,
arched side-door into the house. And there, within, stir and movement
became momentarily more apparent. Shifting lights flashed out through
the many-paned windows, as though in quick search of some eagerly
desired presence.

Nevertheless, for a little space, Katherine lingered, the fragrance of
the wild thyme and of the fair gardens still about her, the somnolent
churring of the night-jars and faint notes of the nightingale's song
still saluting her ears. It was so difficult to return to and cope with
the demands of ordinary life. For had she not been caught up into the
third heaven and heard words unspeakable, unlawful, in their entirety,
for living man to utter?

But things terrestrial, in this case as in so many other cases, refused
to make large room for, or brook delay from, things celestial. Two
servants came out, hurriedly, from that same arched side-door. Then
Clara, that devoted handmaiden, called from the window of the red
drawing-room.

"Her ladyship's there, on the troco-ground. Don't you see, Mr. Winter?"

The butler hur