he reached the corner where he turned, he glanced back. The taxi had
not moved. Its occupants were again getting out--an officer and a girl.
The girl was ringing the bell of the house that he had left, while, the
officer was settling with the driver. As he joined her, the door opened,
letting fall a shaft of light. There was a brief parley--evidently
hurried explanations. Even at that distance he could recognize the
indignant tones of Sir Tobias' angry voice. Then he heard the "Shish,
Daddy!" from Terry. They entered. The door closed behind them. The taxi
moved off in the opposite direction. Again there was silence--nothing
but the fragrance of unseen flowers and the wistfulness of the cool,
spring night.

CHAPTER THE THIRD

ALL SORTS OF KINGDOMS

I

Tabs had dressed himself with more than ordinary care. He was rather
amused at his self-consciousness in having done so, and a little
disdainful of it. Yet he knew that in the winning of a woman the
strategy of clothes has its value; he had no intention of losing a trick
by negligence. It was nine o'clock when he sat down to breakfast; within
two hours he would be seeing Terry.

It was a gay morning, lacquered with sunshine; bustling breezes made
young leaves of trees in the little Square murmurous. Ever since he had
wakened he had been listening to the gossiping chirp of congregated
sparrows and the rolling boom of tumultuous traffic. At intervals across
the upland of roofs there had drifted to him the far-blown chime of
bells and the slower music of clocks striking. It was like an orchestra
scraping its chairs and tuning up before crashing into the overture of
the happier world.

Lying beside his plate as he came down he saw a single letter. It was
addressed to him in an unfamiliar feminine hand. He picked it up and
examined it carefully with the air of a connoisseur. So long as a
letter remains unopened, especially when it is to a bachelor from an
unknown woman, it retains an atmosphere of adventure. Up to a point he
resented the intrusion. This morning his thoughts should have been so
utterly Terry's. And yet he was piqued by it.

He slit the envelope. The letter-head was embossed with a crest quite
unknown to any but the most modern heraldry. He read:--

_Dear Lord Taborley:

I have been given to understand that you are exceedingly anxious to
make my acquaintance. If this is so, I shall be at home when you call
to-morrow afternoon. Askin