reply. She stood in the hall looking round
with a kind of indolent admiration and surprise, and perfectly
self-possessed, though the hall was rapidly filling with the men from
the garden.

"You would like to go to your rooms at once," said Sir Stephen, in his
serene and courtly voice. "If you should be too tired to come down
again to-night I will have some dinner sent up to you--but I hope you
won't be. It would be a great disappointment."

"Oh, I am not at all tired," said Miss Falconer, as she followed the
housekeeper and the two demure maids up the exquisite staircase.

Sir Stephen looked after them with a bland smile, then he turned to
Stafford and caught his arm.

"Not hurt, my boy?" he said, in a tone of strained anxiety.

Stafford was beginning to get tired of the question, and answered
rather impatiently: "Not in the least sir--why should I be! I'll change
my things and be down in five minutes!"

"Yes, yes!" Sir Stephen still eyed him with barely concealed anxiety.
"Strange coincidence, Stafford! I--I haven't seen Ralph Falconer
for--for--ever so many years! And he is thrown at my very gate! And
they say there is no such thing as Fate--"

"Hadn't you better go into the drawing-room, sir," Stafford reminded
him. "They'll think something has happened."

"Eh? Yes, yes, of course!" said Sir Stephen, with a little start as if
he had been lost in thought; but he waited until he saw Stafford walk
up the stairs, without any sign of a limp, before he followed his son's
advice.

The butler, who was too sharp to need any instructions, quickly served
a choice little dinner for the unexpected guests, and Stafford, who had
waited in the hall, accompanied them into the dining-room. Miss
Falconer had changed her travelling-dress for a rich evening-frock, and
the jewels Stafford had noticed were supplemented by some remarkably
fine diamonds.

"I wish you had come in time for dinner!" he said, as he conducted her
to her seat.

"So do I!" she returned, serenely. "We are giving a great deal of
trouble; and we are keeping you from your guests. The maid who waited
on me told me that you had a large house party."

"Yes," said Stafford. "It is a kind of house-warming. My father intends
settling in England for some time, I think," he added. "And he has
built this place."

Mr. Falconer looked up from his plate in his alert, watchful way.

"Sir Stephen's plans rather uncertain?" he said. "I remember he always
used to b