me way in
which I yearned for a sight of her sweet face, I believed that she would
not wish me to be sent away from the house humiliated. My hand was
moving toward my pocket, when suddenly I reconsidered. If I took such
strong measures to secure a _tete-a-tete_ with Karine, it might
appear that we were in collusion, and trouble thus be made for her with
Lady Tressidy and Sir Walter. I could not risk causing her uneasiness,
especially as I was going far away; and with a pang I saw that I was in
a trap.

There might be one way out, however, and I took it.

"I will wait," I announced, "until the ladies return. Or possibly Sir
Walter----"

"Sir Walter won't be here for a day or two," promptly responded the man.

So thoroughly miserable did he look, though his manner gained
confidence, that I thought he must still be new to a service which must
foster a certain amount of conventional deceit.

"As for the ladies, sir, unfortunately they are not expected back this
evening until--until the last train--too late, as you can understand,
sir, to receive any visitors, as at all events they can't reach the
house until after eleven."

I bit my lip with futile indignation against Lady Tressidy, and against
Fate--never against Karine. It was evident that the footman had received
the most stringent orders as to what he must do in case of so
undesirable an emergency as a visit from Mr. Noel Stanton. He had
probably been asked if he was certain of being able to recognise me
again, had answered that he believed he would be so, but on suddenly
being called upon to face the responsibility, had made his little bid
for ascertaining my name as early as possible in the game, by way of
rendering assurance doubly sure.

Of course the dutiful servant was not really to blame for following out
his instructions to the letter, yet I felt that I hated his smug face
and plastered head, and would have liked to frighten him with menaces
and strange foreign oaths.

I dared not give him the note which I had written, meaning if necessary
to slip it into Karine's own hand unseen, for it might easily be that,
despite any bribe I offered, it would never reach the dear eyes for
which it was intended.

"I will write a line on my card, then, to be handed to the ladies, whom
I regret not having seen," I said with what dignity I had at my command.
And stepping past him into the hall, despite a visible gleam of
consternation in his eye, I deliberately took