ying cricket now, and he stood a few minutes watching them. He had
not seen cricket played since the war began; it seemed almost
otherworldly, with the click of the bats, and the shrill young 'voices,
under the distant drone of that sky-hornet threshing along to Hendon. A
boy made a good leg hit. "Well played!" he called. Then, suddenly
conscious of his own incongruity and strangeness in that green spot, he
turned away on the road back to London. To resign; to await events; to
send Noel away--of those three courses, the last alone seemed impossible.
'Am I really so far from them,' he thought, 'that they can wish me to go,
for this? If so, I had better go. It will be just another failure. But
I won't believe it yet; I can't believe it.'

The heat was sweltering, and he became very tired before at last he
reached his omnibus, and could sit with the breeze cooling his hot face.
He did not reach home till six, having eaten nothing since breakfast.
Intending to have a bath and lie down till dinner, he went upstairs.

Unwonted silence reigned. He tapped on the nursery door. It was
deserted; he passed through to Noel's room; but that too was empty. The
wardrobe stood open as if it had been hastily ransacked, and her
dressing-table was bare. In alarm he went to the bell and pulled it
sharply. The old-fashioned ring of it jingled out far below. The
parlour-maid came up.

"Where are Miss Noel and Nurse, Susan?"

"I didn't know you were in, sir. Miss Noel left me this note to give
you. They--I--"

Pierson stopped her with his hand. "Thank you, Susan; get me some tea,
please." With the note unopened in his hand, he waited till she was
gone. His head was going round, and he sat down on the side of Noel's
bed to read:
"DARLING DADDY,

"The man who came this morning told me of what is going to happen. I
simply won't have it. I'm sending Nurse and baby down to Kestrel at
once, and going to Leila's for the night, until I've made up my mind what
to do. I knew it was a mistake my coming back. I don't care what
happens to me, but I won't have you hurt. I think it's hateful of people
to try and injure you for my fault. I've had to borrow money from
Susan--six pounds. Oh! Daddy dear, forgive me.

"Your loving
"NOLLIE."

He read it with unutterable relief; at all events he knew where she
was--poor, wilful, rushing, loving-hearted child; knew where she was, and
could get at her. After his bath and some tea