, to go on getting themselves up so nicely for themselves and the
Celibate, the Paralytic, and Carnaby," thought Robinette, as she
watched them.

Presently another couple came across the lawn; the young woman was by
no means a girl, rather heavily built, with a high fixed colour. She
was attended by a man. "Not the Celibate certainly," thought Mrs.
Loring with a glance at his bullock-like figure, his thick neck, and
glossy black hair, "nor the Paralytic; and it's not Carnaby. It must
be a new arrival!"

At that moment it began to rain, but nothing daunted, their hostess
approached her, and saying pleasantly that she wished to introduce her
to Miss Meredith, she left Robinette and the young woman standing
together under a spreading tree, and took the gentleman away with
her.

The moment that she heard the name, Robinette realized who Miss
Meredith was. They seated themselves side by side on a garden bench,
and Miss Meredith remarked upon the heat, planting a rather fat hand
upon the arm of the garden seat, and surveying it complacently,
especially the very bright diamond ring upon the third finger.

After a few preliminary remarks, she asked Mrs. Loring if she were
stopping in the neighbourhood.

"Yes, I am staying at Stoke Revel for a short time," Robinette
replied; "Mrs. de Tracy is my aunt, or at least I am Admiral de
Tracy's niece."

Her companion did not seem to take the least interest in this part of
the information, only when Stoke Revel was mentioned she looked around
suddenly as if surprised.

They talked upon indifferent subjects, while Robinette, as she watched
Miss Meredith, was saying a good deal to herself, although she only
spoke aloud about the weather and the Devonshire scenery.

"I will be just, if I can't be generous," she thought. "She has (or
she must once have had) a fine complexion. I dare say she is sincere
enough; she may be sensible; she might be good-humoured,--when
pleased."

"There is going to be a shower," said Miss Meredith, "but I've nothing
on to spoil," she added, glancing at Robinette's hat.

Sitting there on the bench, hearing the spitting rain upon the water
below them and watching the leaden mists that slowly gathered over the
landscape, Robinette fell upon a moment of soul sickness very unusual
to her. Miss Meredith too was silent, absorbed in her own thoughts.

"If she had looked even a little different it would have been so much
easier to explain," thought Robinette