, and finally collected her work
and followed her two guests into the garden.

Max departed upon his rounds, and a very unpleasant sense of
responsibility descended upon her.

She took up a central position under the lime-trees that bordered the
tennis-court, but Major Hunt-Goring and Violet did not join her. They
sauntered about the garden-paths just out of earshot, and several times
it seemed to Olga that they were talking confidentially together. She
wondered impatiently how Violet could endure the man at such close
quarters. But then there were many things that Violet liked that she
found quite unbearable.

Slowly the afternoon wore away. The young hostess still sat under the
limes, severely darning, but Violet and her companion had disappeared
unobtrusively into a more secluded part of the garden. For nearly half
an hour she had heard no sound of voices. She wondered if she ought to
go in search of them, but her pile of work was still somewhat formidable
and she was both to leave it. She continued to darn therefore with
unflagging energy, till suddenly a hand touched her shoulder and a man's
voice spoke softly in her ear.

"Hullo, little one! All alone? What has become of the fiery-headed
assistant?"

She flung his hand away with a violent gesture. So engrossed had she
been with getting through her work that she had not heard his step upon
the grass.

"Are you just off?" she asked him frigidly. "Will you have anything
before you go?"

Hunt-Goring laughed--a soft, unpleasant laugh. "Many thanks!" he said.
"I was just asking myself that question. Generous of you to suggest it
though. Perhaps you--like myself--are feeling bored."

He lowered himself on to the grassy bank beside her chair, smiling up at
her with easy insolence. Olga did not look at him. Handsome though he
undoubtedly was, he was the one man of her acquaintance whose eyes she
shrank from meeting. His very proximity sent a shiver of disgust
through her. She made a covert movement to edge her chair away.

"Where is Miss Campion?" she said.

He laughed again, that hateful confidential laugh of his. "She has gone
indoors to rest. The heat made her sleepy. I suggested the hammock, but
she wouldn't run the risk of being caught napping. I see that there is
small danger of that with you."

Olga stiffened. She was putting together her work with evident
determination. "I will see you off," she said.

"You seem in a mighty hurry to get rid of me,"