l starred with cowslips and late primroses. Near the old
wooden door two cypresses stood sentinel, and the gnarled olives in
the foreground loomed ancient and unresponsive as the walls
themselves. The light wind of the morning had dropped with the sun;
and the lake, far below them, showed delicately blurred mirages of
townlets, hills, and sky. Southward, toward Como and Lecco, all was
saturated in the magical blue atmosphere, the aura of Italy.
Northward, toward Gravedona, the lesser Alps gloomed grey-violet
under a mass of indigo cloud that blotted out the snows.

Theo Desmond, standing very erect, with the sun in his eyes, felt the
peace and beauty of it all flow through his veins like wine.

"It's good to be up here. Very good. Sit down, old man."

Paul obeyed. They settled themselves on a green ledge near a bold
outcrop of rock. Desmond, leaning forward, sunk his chin on his hand
and fell into one of his brooding silences that had grown rarer of
late.

So long it lasted that Paul began to fear he might lose the given
moment after all. Yet every line of his friend's face and figure
spelled peace; and he was loth to break the silence. Taking the letter
from his pocket he opened it with ostentatious cracklings. He read it
through twice, very leisurely; and still Desmond sat motionless,
absorbed in the changing lights on the water and the hills. Then Paul
gave it up and spoke.

"Theo--I've had a letter from Sir John. They're delighted to hear
we're coming home."

Desmond started and frowned without changing his position. Only his
stillness took on a more rigid quality. It had been natural; now it
was forced.

"The old man going on well?" he asked, feeling that some remark was
expected of him.

"Yes. He's almost himself again. He and Lady Meredith want us to go
straight to Mavins for a week. What do you think?"

This time an answer was imperative; but it stuck in Desmond's throat.

"Very good of them. All the same--I think not," he said slowly; then
made a clumsy attempt to modify the blank refusal. "You see, though
I've taken this extra leave, I don't mean to spend it in loafing.
We've had our fill of that. As soon as I get to town, I shall start
reading in earnest for my promotion."

Paul, puzzled and dismayed as he was, could not lightly relinquish his
castle in the air.

"I'm glad you feel up to work again, Theo," he said. "But a week in
the country wouldn't seriously delay matters; and, in the
circu