at was cut something like an army mess-jacket and the style
suited her. I dare say there are many youthful subalterns, and not the
worst-looking too, who resemble Mrs Fyne in the type of face, in the
sunburnt complexion, down to that something alert in bearing. But not
many would have had that aspect breathing a readiness to assume any
responsibility under Heaven. This is the sort of courage which ripens
late in life and of course Mrs Fyne was of mature years for all her
unwrinkled face.

She looked round the room, told me positively that I was very
comfortable there; to which I assented, humbly, acknowledging my
undeserved good fortune.

"Why undeserved?" she wanted to know.

"I engaged these rooms by letter without asking any questions. It might
have been an abominable hole," I explained to her. "I always do things
like that. I don't like to be bothered. This is no great proof of
sagacity--is it? Sagacious people I believe like to exercise that
faculty. I have heard that they can't even help showing it in the
veriest trifles. It must be very delightful. But I know nothing of it.
I think that I have no sagacity--no practical sagacity."

Fyne made an inarticulate bass murmur of protest. I asked after the
children whom I had not seen yet since my return from town. They had
been very well. They were always well. Both Fyne and Mrs Fyne spoke
of the rude health of their children as if it were a result of moral
excellence; in a peculiar tone which seemed to imply some contempt for
people whose children were liable to be unwell at times. One almost
felt inclined to apologise for the inquiry. And this annoyed me;
unreasonably, I admit, because the assumption of superior merit is not a
very exceptional weakness. Anxious to make myself disagreeable by way
of retaliation I observed in accents of interested civility that the
dear girls must have been wondering at the sudden disappearance of their
mother's young friend. Had they been putting any awkward questions
about Miss Smith. Wasn't it as Miss Smith that Miss de Barral had been
introduced to me?

Mrs Fyne, staring fixedly but also colouring deeper under her tan, told
me that the children had never liked Flora very much. She hadn't the
high spirits which endear grown-ups to healthy children, Mrs Fyne
explained unflinchingly. Flora had been staying at the cottage several
times before. Mrs Fyne assured me that she often found it very
difficult to have