e over his lips as he spoke.

"Jan, I shall be endorsing Lady Verner's request--that you come into a
house like a Christian--if you are to startle ladies in this fashion."

"Whom did I startle?" asked Jan.

"You startled Lucy."

"Nonsense! Did I, Miss Lucy?"

"Yes, you did a little, Jan," she replied.

"What a stupid you must be!" retorted gallant Jan. "I should say you
want doctoring, if your nerves are in that state. You take--"

"Oh, Jan, that will do," laughed Lucy. "I am sure I don't want medicine.
You know how I dislike it."

They were standing together within the large window, Jan and Lionel,
Lucy sitting close to them. She sat with her head a little bent,
scenting her verbena.

"The truth is, Jan, I and Lucy have been watching some intruder who had
taken up his station on the lawn, underneath the yew-tree," whispered
Lionel. "I suppose Lucy thought he was bursting in upon us."

"Yes, I did really think he was," said Lucy, looking up with a smile.

"Who was it?" asked Jan.

"He did not give us the opportunity of ascertaining," replied Lionel. "I
am not quite sure, mind, that I did see him; but Lucy is positive upon
the point. I went to the tree, but he had disappeared. It is rather
strange why he should be watching."

"He was watching this room attentively," said Lucy, "and I saw him move
away when Mr. Verner went on the lawn. I am sure he was a spy of some
sort."

"I can tell you who it was," said Jan. "It was Roy."

"Roy!" repeated Lionel. "Why do you say this?"

"Well," said Jan, "as I turned in here, I saw Roy cross the road to the
opposite gate. I don't know where he could have sprung from, except from
these grounds. That he was neither behind me nor before me as I came up
the road, I can declare."

"Then it was Roy!" exclaimed Lionel. "He would have had about time to
get into the road, from the time we saw him under the tree. That the
fellow is prying into my affairs and movements, I was made aware of
to-day; but why he should watch my house I cannot imagine. We shall have
an account to settle, Mr. Roy!"

Decima came up, asking what private matter they were discussing, and
Lionel and Lucy went over the ground again, acquainting her with what
had been seen. They stood together in a group, conversing in an
undertone. By and by, Mrs. Verner passed, moving from one part of the
room to another, on the arm of Sir Rufus Hautley.

"Quite a family conclave," she exclaimed, with a laugh. "Deci