s.'

'Why?' I asked.

'Oh, she was engaged to his elder brother, who was killed in Egypt, and
who was heir to the estate. It was awfully sad about Maurice,--fine
fellow he was. But there was a row with the Arabs up by the Nile
somewhere, and Maurice got potted.'

'And George not only came into the estate, but may also succeed to his
brother's sweetheart?' I laughed.

'That's so. It's years ago now since Maurice's regiment was sent to
Egypt, and the engagement, so I am informed, was fixed up the night
before he went.'

'And is George St. Mabyn a good chap?'

'Oh, yes. He was a captain in the Territorials before the war broke
out, and was very active in recruiting last autumn. In November he got
sent to Ypres, and had a rough time there, I suppose. He was there
until two months ago, when he was wounded. He's home on leave now.
This war's likely to drag on, isn't it? We've been at it nine months,
and there are no signs of the Germans crumbling up.'

'From all I can hear,' I said, 'it was touch and go with us a little
while ago. If they had broken through our lines at Ypres, we should
have been in a bad way.'

'My word, we should! Still, the way our fellows stuck it was
magnificent.'

The car entered the drive just then which led to Sir Roger's place, and
after passing more than a mile through fine park land, we swept up to
an old, grey stone mansion.

'You possess one of the finest specimens of an Old English home that I
know, Sir Roger,' I said.

'Yes, I do,' and there was a touch of pride in his voice. 'I love
every stone of it,--I love every outbuilding,--I love every acre of the
old place. I suppose it's natural, too,--my people have lived here so
long. Heavens! suppose the Germans were to get here, and treat it as
they have treated the old French chateaux! Hallo, here we are!' and he
shouted to some people near the house. 'You see I have brought the
orator with me!'

We alighted from the car, and made our way towards three ladies who sat
in a secluded nook on the lawn. One I knew immediately as Lady
Granville, the other two were strangers to me. But as they will figure
more or less prominently in this story, and were closely associated
with the events which followed, it will be necessary for me to give
some description of them.

CHAPTER III

THE STRANGE BEHAVIOUR OF GEORGE ST. MABYN

One was a tall, stylishly dressed, handsome girl, of striking
appearance. I had almost cal