re the strangest presentiment came over her. She
heard the door below open and shut, and it was borne in upon her mind
that two men had entered. How she guessed it, she could not tell, but,
as she sat there, she had no doubt at all that Charlie Merceron had
come with Calder Went worth. Escape was impossible, but she walked
across to the window and stood there, with her back to the door.

"Mr. Wentworth!" she heard, and then, cutting the servant short, came
Calder's voice.

"I took the liberty---" he began: and she did not know how he went on,
for her head was swimming.

"Agatha! Agatha, dear!" called Mrs. Blunt.

Perforce she turned, passing her hand quickly across her brow. Yes! It
was so. There he stood by Calder's side, and Calder was saying, "My
dear Agatha, this is Charlie Merceron."

She would not look at Charlie. She moved slowly forward, her eyes fixed
on Calder, and bowed with a little set smile. Luckily people pay slight
attention to one another's expressions on social occasions, or they
must all have noticed her agitation. As it was, only Calder Wentworth
looked curiously at her before he turned aside to shake hands with
Uncle Van.

Then she felt Charlie Merceron coining nearer, and, a second later, she
heard his voice.

"Is it possible that it's you?" he asked, in a low tone.

Then she looked at him. His face was pale and his eyes eagerly
straining to read what might be in hers.

"Hush!" she whispered. "Yes. Hush! hush!"

"But--but he told me your name was Glyn?"

"Yes."

"And he says you're engaged to him."

Agatha clasped her hands, and Calder's voice broke in, between them:
"Come along, Merceron, we're waiting for you."

"They've got into antiquities already," smiled Mrs. Blunt. "You must
come again, Mr. Merceron, and meet Miss Glyn. Mustn't he, Agatha?"

Agatha threw one glance at him.

"If he will," she said.

Charlie pulled himself together, muttered something appropriate, and
shuffled out tinder his uncle's wing. Mr. Vansittart was surprised to
find him a trifle confused and awkward in society.

Outside the house, Charlie ranged up beside Calder "Wentworth, leaving
Uncle Van and Sutton together.

"Well, what do you think of her?" asked Calder.

Charlie gave no opinion. He asked just one question:

"How long have you been engaged to her?"

"How long? Oh, let's see. About--yes, just about a year. I never knew
that there was a sort of connection between you and her--sort of