ing
arst him when his brother was last in England. Mr. Cayley knew of him,
I heard him telling Mr. Beverley, but didn't know when he was last in
England--see? So that's why he arst Mr. Mark."

"I'm not saying anything about fifteen years, Audrey. I can only speak
for what I know, and that's five years Whitsuntide. I can take my oath
he's not set foot in the house since five years Whitsuntide. And if he's
been in Australia, as you say, well, I daresay he's had his reasons."

"What reasons?" said Audrey lightly.

"Never mind what reasons. Being in the place of a mother to you, since
your poor mother died, I say this, Audrey--when a gentleman goes to
Australia, he has his reasons. And when he stays in Australia fifteen
years, as Mr. Mark says, and as I know for myself for five years, he
has his reasons. And a respectably brought-up girl doesn't ask what
reasons."

"Got into trouble, I suppose," said Audrey carelessly. "They were saying
at breakfast he'd been a wild one. Debts. I'm glad Joe isn't like that.
He's got fifteen pounds in the post-office savings' bank. Did I tell
you?"

But there was not to be any more talk of Joe Turner that afternoon. The
ringing of a bell brought Audrey to her feet--no longer Audrey, but now
Stevens. She arranged her cap in front of the glass.

"There, that's the front door," she said. "That's him. 'Show him into
the office,' said Mr. Mark. I suppose he doesn't want the other
ladies and gentlemen to see him. Well, they're all out at their golf,
anyhow--Wonder if he's going to stay--P'raps he's brought back a lot of
gold from Australia--I might hear something about Australia, because if
anybody can get gold there, then I don't say but what Joe and I--"

"Now, now, get on, Audrey."

"Just going, darling." She went out.

To anyone who had just walked down the drive in the August sun, the open
door of the Red House revealed a delightfully inviting hall, of which
even the mere sight was cooling. It was a big low-roofed,
oak-beamed place, with cream-washed walls and diamond-paned windows,
blue-curtained. On the right and left were doors leading into other
living-rooms, but on the side which faced you as you came in were
windows again, looking on to a small grass court, and from open windows
to open windows such air as there was played gently. The staircase went
up in broad, low steps along the right-hand wall, and, turning to the
left, led you along a gallery, which ran across the width