t me up last night," he said
briefly.

Connor stood silent, slowly combing the soil from the claw of his
weeder with work-worn fingers.

Clive said: "Since I have been coming down here to watch the progress
on Miss Greensleeve's house have you happened to notice any strangers
hanging about the grounds?"

Connor's grey eyes narrowed and became fixed on nothing.

Presently he nodded to himself:

"There was inquiries made, sorr, I'm minded now that ye mention it."

"About me?"

"Yes, sorr. There was strangers askin' f'r to know was it you that owns
the house or what."

"What was said?"

"I axed them would they chase themselves,--it being none o' their
business. 'Twas no satisfaction they had of me, Misther Bailey, sorr."

"Who were they, Connor?"

"I just disremember now. Maybe there was a big wan and a little
wan.... Yes, sorr; there was two of them hangin' about on and off
these six weeks past, like they was minded to take a job and then
again not minded. Sure there was the two o' thim, now I think of it.
Wan was big and thin and wan was a little scutt wid a big nose."

Clive nodded: "Keep them off the place, Connor. Keep all strangers
outside. Miss Greensleeve will be here for several days alone and she
must not be annoyed."

"Divil a bit, sorr."

"I want you and Mrs. Connor to sleep in the house for the present. And
I do not wish you to answer any questions from anybody concerning
either Miss Greensleeve or myself. Can I depend on you?"

"You can, sorr."

"I'm sure of it. Now, I'd like to have you go to the village and buy
me something to shave with and to comb my hair with. I had not
intended to remain here over night, but I did not care to leave Miss
Greensleeve entirely alone in the house."

"Sure, sorr, Jenny was fixed f'r to stay--"

"I know. Miss Greensleeve told her she might go home. It was a
misunderstanding. But I want her to remain hereafter until Miss
Greensleeve's servants come from New York."

So Connor went away to the village and Clive seated himself on a
garden bench to wait.

Nothing stirred inside the house; the shades in Athalie's room
remained lowered.

He watched the chimney swifts soaring and darting above the house. A
faint dun-coloured haze crowned the kitchen chimney. Mrs. Connor was
already busy over their breakfast.

[Illustration: "Clive nodded: 'Keep them off the place, Connor.'"]

When the gardener returned with the purchases Clive went to his room
again a