and this she did with her
usual skill, but not before the Professor's left eyebrow had run up into
his forehead, and his wise old eyes beneath had met and then instantly
averted themselves from those of John Derringham.

All the way back to the house Mrs. Cricklander had the satisfaction of
listening to a much more advanced admiration of herself than she had
hoped to obtain so soon, and arrived in the best of restored humors--for
John Derringham had clenched his teeth as he left the orchard house, and
had told himself that he would not be influenced or put off by any of
these trifling things, and that it was some vixenish turn of Fate to
have allowed these currents of disillusion about a woman who was so
eminently suitable to reach him through the medium of his old friend.

A strange thing happened to Halcyone that morning. She had made up her
mind to keep away from her usual visit to Cheiron on the Monday and
Tuesday when John Derringham had announced he might bring over his
hostess to see the Professor. She did not wish to cause complications
with her aunts by making Mrs. Cricklander's acquaintance, and underneath
she had some strange reluctance herself. Her unerring instincts warned
her that this woman might in some way trouble her life, but she thought
Saturday would be perfectly safe and was preparing to start, when some
vague longing came over her to see her goddess. She had felt less serene
since the day before, and John Derringham and his words and looks
absorbed her thoughts. The home of Aphrodite was now in a chest in the
long gallery, of which she kept the key, and as this old room was always
empty--none of the servants, not even Priscilla, caring about visiting
it--haunted, it was, they said--she had plenty of time to spend what
hours she liked with her treasure without having to do so by stealth, as
in the beginning. For any place indoors she loved the long gallery
better than any other place. The broken window panes had been mended
when the turn for the better came for the whole house, and now she
herself kept it all dusted and tidy and used it as a sitting-room and
work-room as well; and, above all, it was the temple of the goddess
wherein was her shrine.

This day when Aphrodite was uncovered from her blue silk wrappings, her
whole expression seemed to be one of appeal; however Halcyone would hold
her, in high or low light, the eyes appeared to be asking her something.

"What is it, sweet mother and f