ded, and they have a
great-niece living with them, the most remarkable little female
intelligence I have ever come across. My old habit of instruction is not
to be allowed to rest, for I am going to teach the creature Greek, as a
diversion. She seems to be about twelve years old, and has the makings
of a wonderful character. In the summer you had better come down and pay
me a visit, if you are not too busy with your potent mistress, your
political ambitions."

But John Derringham did not respond to this casual invitation for many a
long day. He had other potent interests beside his political
ambitions--and in any case, never did anything unless he felt inclined.

Mr. Carlyon did not expect him--he knew him very well.

Thus the days passed and by the end of June even, Halcyone had learned
more than the Greek alphabet; and had listened to many charming stories
of that wonderful people. And the night was her friend, and numerous
hours were passed in the shadow of his dark wings, as she flitted like
some pale ghost about the park and the deserted, dilapidated garden.

CHAPTER V

The July of that year was very warm with peculiarly still days, and
Halcyone and her master, Cheiron, spent most of their time during their
hours of study, under the apple tree. They had got to a stage of
complete understanding, and seemed to have fitted into each other's
lives as though they had always been together.

Mr. Carlyon watched his little pupil from under the shadow of his
penthouse brows with the deep speculative interest she had aroused in
him from the first. He had theories upon several subjects, which she
seemed to be going to show the result of in practice--and in his kindly
cynic's heart she was now enshrined in a special niche.

For Halcyone he was "Cheiron," her master, who had the enchanting
quality of being able to see the other side of her head. Every idea of
her soul seemed to be developing under this touch of sympathy and
understanding. Her heterogeneous knowledge culled from the teachings of
her many changing governesses, seemed to regulate itself into distinct
branches with an upward shoot for each, and Mr. Carlyon watched and
encouraged them all.

It was on one glorious Saturday morning when the fairies and nymphs and
gods and goddesses were presumably asleep in the sunlight, that she drew
up her knees as she sat on the grass by her Professor's chair, and
pushing away the Greek grammar, said, with grave ey