was watching the arrival of his
visitors. It was not among his anticipations that Miss Wycliffe might
come swooping down upon the college in this fashion, and moreover the
machine was speeding from a direction directly opposite to that in
which she lived. In fact, it was headed for the city from the open
country beyond. His astonishment was great, therefore, when the car
came to a sudden stop at the base of the tower, and the occupants
fairly tumbled out in a gale of merriment and talk. In the babel of
sounds Miss Wycliffe's voice detached itself, by its peculiar quality
rather than by its power, causing his heart to vibrate as a string
trembles to the touch.

"Mr. Cobbens," she cried gaily, "I believe you were bent on breaking
our necks!"

"I 'm for walking home," came a man's voice.

There were no students' rooms directly over them, but to the north and
south windows were flung open and heads peered curiously forth.

"Hush!" said another of the party. "Don't wake up the children."

This sally was greeted with another burst of mirth, and then the
star-gazers filed through a small postern door in the walled-up arch
that was one day to be opened wide for the passage of a road. Leigh
took up his lantern, only to find that in his haste he had unwittingly
turned out the flame. A puff of wind extinguished his match, and he
was obliged to reenter the cabin for shelter from the draught. Owing
to this delay, he had scarcely begun to descend before he heard the
voices of his guests growing louder in their progress from below.

About midway he saw them coming across the platform immediately below
him, the bishop's daughter in the lead with a tall wax candle in her
hand. As she ascended the stairs, the light of the candle gave her
uplifted face the effect of a delicate cameo set in a frame of
radiating gold. Her lips were parted, her breath came fast, and her
eyes were wondrous in their dark brilliancy. Rarely beautiful as the
picture was, Leigh received no impression of a "missioned spirit rising
unawares," for as her wrap slipped down from her shoulders, she
suggested rather that goddess who floated into the light one April day
on the crest of a wave. Apparently she was in a most gracious mood,
and not inclined to hold him to account. She did not wait to learn the
reason of his detention above.

"Don't apologise, please," she panted, "for we got along capitally.
Dr. Cardington gave me this candle, but declin