They chatted on, casually, impersonally, in rather subdued tones. The
dog returned now and then to see that all was well. All was well enough,
it appeared, for she sat beside Siward, quite content, knees clasped in
her hands, exchanging impressions of life with a man who so far had
been sympathetically considerate in demanding from her no intellectual
effort.

The conversation drifted illogically; sometimes he stirred her to
amusement, even a hushed laughter; sometimes she smilingly agreed with
his views, sometimes she let them go, uncriticised; or, intent on her
own ideas, shook her small head in amused disapproval.

The stillness over all, the deepening mellow light, the blessed
indolence of the young world--and their few years in it--Youth! That was
perhaps the key to it all, after all.

"To-morrow," she mused aloud, knees cradled in her clasped fingers,
"to-morrow they'll shoot--with great circumstance and fuss--a few native
woodcock--there's no flight yet from the north!--a few grouse, fewer
snipe, a stray duck or two. Others will drive motor cars over bad roads;
others will ride, sail, golf--anything to kill the eternal enemy."

"And you?"

"Je n'en sais rien, monsieur."

"Mais je voudrais savoir."

"Pourquoi?"

"To lay a true course by the stars"; he looked at her blue eyes and she
laughed easily under the laughing flattery.

"You must seek another compass--to-morrow," she said. Then it occurred
to her that nobody could guess her decision in regard to Quarrier; and
she partly raised her eyes, looking at him, indolent speculation under
the white lids.

She liked him already; in fact she had liked few men as well on such
brief acquaintance.

"You know the majority of the people here, or coming, don't you?" she
inquired.

"Who are they?"

She began: "The Leroy Mortimers?"

"Oh, yes."

"Lord Alderdene and Captain Voucher, and the Page twins and Marion?"

"Yes."

"Rena Bonnesdel, the Tassel girl, Agatha Caithness, Mrs. Vendenning--all
sorts, all sets." And, with an effort: "If I'm to drive, I should
like--to--to know what time it is?"

He informed her; and she, too indolent to pretend surprise, and finding
reproach easier, told him that he had no business to permit her to
forget.

His smiling serenity under the rebuke aroused in her a slight resentment
as though he had taken something for granted.

Besides, she had grown uneasy; she had wired Quarrier, saying she would
meet him and drive