punctuality, was waiting by the window.

He came swiftly to meet her. She had not seen him before that day.

"You are looking well this morning," he said, in his quick, friendly way.
"You have been busy, yes?"

His soft eyes interrogated her, as for an instant he held her hand. Never
once had she found those eyes impossible to meet. They held the fidelity
of unswerving friendship.

"Oh yes," she said, "busy in a fashion--a very childish fashion, Bertie.
Noel and I are making fireworks!"

"Fireworks!" he echoed.

"Yes, we are going to have a grand display tonight. Will you come and
look on?"

He smiled. "But yes," he said. "I think that I will come and take care of
you."

She nodded. "Do! But they are not dangerous, not very. Where is Aunt
Philippa?"

He spread out his hands whimsically. "She has not given me her
confidence."

Chris laughed. Actually she was feeling almost lighthearted. Till that
moment she had had a morbid dread of being alone with him, and now behold
her dread vanishing in mirth! Surely she had been very foolish, like a
child frightened at shadows!

"I wonder where she is," she said. "I am afraid I have been playing
truant this morning. I shall have to apologize, though it was all Noel's
fault. Do see if you can find Mrs. Forest," she added to a servant just
entering. "Ask her if she is ready for luncheon."

"Mrs. Forest is out in the motor, and has not yet returned," was the
information this elicited.

"How odd!" said Chris. "What had we better do?"

Bertrand shrugged his shoulders, still looking quizzical. "We must not
lunch without her, _bien sur_. Let us go into the garden."

They went into the garden, and walked for a space in the September
sunshine.

They talked at first upon commonplace topics, and Chris was wholly at her
ease. But presently Bertrand turned the conversation with an abrupt
question.

"Christine, tell me, you have never seen that scoundrel Rodolphe again?"

She started a little, and was conscious that she changed colour, but she
answered him instantly. "No, never. But--why do you ask?"

Very gravely he made reply. "I have feared lately that there was
something that troubled you. I was wrong, yes?"

He looked at her anxiously.

She did not answer him, she could not.

"_Eh bien_," he said gently, after a moment. "It was not that. You have
heard that he has been recalled to France--that there is a rumour that
there have been revelations that may lead to