m
M'sieur le Capitaine." She held out an envelope to Joan, and busied
herself about the room. "Ah! but he is gentil--M'sieur le Capitaine;
young and of a great air." Celeste, it may be stated, viewed Baxter
rather like a noisome insect.

"Bring me my breakfast, please."

Joan waited till the maid had left the room before opening the
envelope. There was just a line inside, and her eyes grew very tender
as she read the words.

"I've got something to say to you, little Joan, which has got to be
said in the big spaces. Will you come out with me this morning on to
the Downs?"

She read it through half a dozen times and then she turned to Celeste.

"Tell Captain Vane that I will be ready in an hour," she said.

* * * * * *

Vane was standing in the hall when Joan appeared. A faintly tremulous
smile was on her lips, but she came steadily up to him and held out
both her hands.

"Good morning, my lady," he said gently. "Would you to be liking to
know how wonderful you look?"

"Oh! Derek," she whispered. "My dear!"

"Ostensibly you are going into Lewes to shop," he remarked with a grin.
"I am dealing with Boche prisoners. . . . At least that's what I told
our worthy host over the kidneys at breakfast. . . ."

She gave a little happy laugh. "And in reality?"

"We're both going to be dropped somewhere, and we're going to tell the
car to run away and play, while we walk home over the Downs."

"And my shopping?"

"You couldn't find anything you wanted."

"And your prisoners?"

"Well the only thing about my prisoners that is likely to give the show
away is if I turn up at the prison," smiled Vane. "Let us hope Mr.
Sutton doesn't know the governor."

And suddenly he added irrelevantly. "Our host was a little surprised
that you failed to appear at breakfast, seeing how early he packed you
off to bed." He watched the slight quickening of her breath, the faint
colour dyeing her cheeks, and suddenly the resolution he had made
seemed singularly futile. Then with a big effort he took hold of
himself, and for greater safety put both his hands in his pockets. "I
think," he remarked quietly, "you'd better go and get ready. The car
will be round in a moment. . . ."

Without a word she left him and went upstairs to her room, while Vane
strolled to the front door. The car was just coming out of the garage,
and he nodded to the chauffeur.

"Glorious day, isn't it?"

"Pity y