.

The afternoon was bright and warm, and the country looked its best,
with the scent of new-mown hay in the air, and flowers everywhere, as
I descended from the station fly and walked up the rectory garden to
the house.

The maid admitted me to the study, saying that Mr. Shuttleworth was
only "down the paddock," and would be back in a few minutes. And as I
seated myself in the big, comfortable arm-chair, I saw, straight
before me, in its frame the smiling face of the mysterious woman I
loved.

Through the open French windows came the warm sunlight, the song of
the birds, and the drowsy hum of the insects. The lawn was marked for
tennis, and beyond lay the paddock and the dark forest-border.

I had remained there some few minutes, when suddenly I heard a quick
footstep in the hall outside; then, next moment, the door was opened,
and there, upon the threshold, stood Sylvia herself.

"You!" she gasped, starting back. "I--I didn't know you were here!"
she stammered in confusion.

She was evidently a guest there, and was about to pass through the
study into the garden. Charming in a soft white ninon gown and a big
white hat, she held a tennis-racket in her hand, presenting a pretty
picture framed by the dark doorway.

"Sylvia!" I cried, springing forward to her in joy, and catching her
small white trembling hand in mine. "Fancy you--here!"

She held her breath, suffering me to lead her into the room and to
close the door.

"I had no idea you were here," I said. "I--lost you the other day in
Regent Street--I----"

She made a quick gesture, as though she desired me to refrain from
referring to that incident. I saw that her cheeks were deadly pale,
and that in her face was an expression of utter confusion.

"This meeting," she said slowly in a low voice, "is certainly an
unexpected one. Mr. Shuttleworth doesn't know you are here, does he?"

"No," I replied. "He's down in the paddock, I believe."

"He has been called out suddenly," she said. "He's driven over to
Clatford with Mrs. Shuttleworth."

"And you are here alone?" I exclaimed quickly.

"No. There's another guest--Elsie Durnford," she answered. "But," she
added, her self-possession at once returning, "but why are you here,
Mr. Biddulph?"

"I wanted to see Mr. Shuttleworth. Being a friend of yours, I believed
that he would know where you were. But, thank Heaven, I have found you
at last. Now," I said, smiling as I looked straight into her
fathomless