intentness, the door opened, and once
more Norris appeared. After a second's hesitation she crossed to her
mistress.

"There's a gentleman at the door, ma'am," she said, deprecatingly.

Enid looked up, a frown still darkening her forehead.

"I told you I was not at home."

"I know, ma'am, but--" Norris hesitated.

"But what? I told you I was not to be disturbed. I _won't_ be
disturbed." With a gesture plainly indicative of high-strung nerves, she
turned to the table and poured herself out a cup of tea.

The maid glanced behind her towards the door. "But the gentleman won't
go, ma'am--"

"Won't go!" In her surprise Enid laid down the cup she had been about to
raise to her lips. "Who is he?" she demanded.

Norris looked down. "I don't know, ma'am. I told him you were not at
home, but he won't go. He's the sort of gentleman who won't take no for
an answer."

"I don't understand you. Who is he? What is he like?" Unconsciously and
involuntarily Enid's tone quickened. Something in the woman's
words--something undefined and yet suggestive--stirred and agitated her.

Norris seemed to choose her words. "Well, ma'am," she answered, slowly,
"he's very tall--and not like any other gentleman that comes here. I
can't rightly explain it, miss, he seems used to having his own way--"

As she halted, uncertain how to choose her words, Enid rose nervously.
She could not have defined her emotions, but some feeling at once vague
and portentous was working in her mind.

"Did he give no name?"

"No, ma'am. I was to say that he was some one that must be seen. He'd
give no name."

For a further instant Enid was silent, conscious of nothing but her own
unsteady pulses; then suddenly she turned almost angrily upon the
servant.

"Show him in!" she cried. "Show him in at once! Don't keep him standing
at the door."

In some confusion Norris turned and walked across the room. At the
doorway she paused and looked back.

"Will you have the lights on, ma'am?"

"No. No; the fire makes light enough. I like twilight and a fire. Don't
stand waiting!"

The woman departed; and for a space that seemed to her interminable,
Enid stood beside the fireplace, motionless with hope, dread, and an
almost uncontrollable nervousness. At last, as in a dream, she saw the
door open and the tall, characteristic figure of the Prophet move into
the room.

She was vaguely aware that he halted for a moment, as if undecided as
to his action, while No