d
afterward turned to Bland. "How are you going to get back?"

Bland said that the man who had driven him from the station was waiting
in the neighboring village, and when they left the house he walked on
with Sylvia, leaving Mrs. Lansing and West to follow. It was a clear
night, with a chill of frost in the air. A bright half-moon hung above
the shadowy hills, and the higher boughs of the bare trees cut in sharp
tracery against the sky. Dead leaves lay thick upon the road and here
and there a belt of mist trailed across a meadow. Sylvia, however, did
not respond when her companion said something about the charm of the
walk.

"Why didn't you send me word you were coming?" she asked.

"I didn't know until this morning, when I got a note from West, and I
must be back in time for tomorrow's parade. Besides, you told me at
the junction that I was not to be allowed to meet you again for some
time."

Sylvia smiled at him.

"Haven't you found out that you needn't take everything I say too
literally?"

Bland stopped, pressing the hand on his arm.

"Does that apply to all you said on the evening when we sat outside the
inn?"

"No," answered Sylvia firmly. "It does not; please understand that. I
must stick to what I told you then." She paused, and they heard the
soft fall of approaching feet before she resumed with a laugh: "Go on,
if you don't want the others to think we are waiting for them."

Bland obeyed, a little soothed, though he saw she was not yet ready to
allow a renewal of his pleading. Sylvia had obviously meant that she
wished to be left alone with him.

"Why did you call on Stephen West?" she asked, presently.

"I'd meant to tell you. But, first of all, is Lansing still connected
with the rubber company? West didn't seem very well informed upon the
point."

"Neither am I," replied Sylvia thoughtfully. "I only know he hasn't
the large interest in it that he had."

"Then I'll have to explain, because I don't know what to do. Lansing
gave me a tip to buy some shares, and when some friends said I'd got a
good thing, I went to him again. I must say he was pretty guarded, but
I got a hint and acted on it, with the result that I have dropped a
good deal of money. This," he added deprecatingly, "is not the kind of
thing I should talk to you about, but I was told that Lansing couldn't
receive any callers, and you'll see why you should know."

"I'm beginning to understand."

"Well," said B