d.

"How d'you do, Mrs Fenham?" said Bayfield, greeting the new arrival
cordially. He was followed by Lyn, somewhat less cordial. Then arose
Earle's voice:

"Mrs Fenham--Mr--There now, I believe I didn't quite catch your
name--"

"Blachland."

"Ah, yes, I beg your pardon--Blachland. Mr Blachland."

Hilary bowed--then obliged by that other's outstretched hand to put
forth his, found it enclosed in a tolerably firm clasp, by that of--
Hermia.

Thus they stood, looking into each other's eyes, and in that brief
glance, for all his habitual self-control, he would have been more than
human had he succeeded in concealing the unbounded surprise--largely
mingled with dismay--which flashed across his face. She for her part,
if she had failed to read it, and in that fraction of a minute to
resolve to turn it to account--well, she would not have been Hermia
Saint Clair.

To both the surprise was equal and complete. They had no more idea of
each other's propinquity than they had--say, of the Sultan of Turkey
suddenly arriving to take part in the day's sport. Yet, of the two, the
woman was the more self-controlled.

"Are you fond of sport?" she murmured sweetly, striving not to render
too palpable to other observers the dart of mingled warning and defiance
which she flashed at him.

"Yes, as a rule," he answered indifferently, taking his cue. "Been
rather off colour of late. Touch of fever."

There was a touch of irony in the tone, to the only one there who had
the key to its burden. For the words brought back the long and helpless
bout of the dread malady, when this woman had left him alone--to die,
but for the chance arrival of a staunch comrade.

"Well, lug that big coat off, old chap," said Earle, whose jovial nature
moved him to prompt familiarity. "Unless you still feel it too cold,
that is. We're going to have breakfast."

The coat referred to was not without its importance in the situation.
With the collar partly turned up, Blachland had congratulated himself
that it helped to conceal the effect of this extraordinary and unwelcome
surprise from the others, and such, in fact, was the case. For nothing
is more difficult to dissemble in the eyes of bystanders, in a chance
and unwelcome meeting, than the fact of previous acquaintanceship. It
may be accounted for by the explanation of extraordinary resemblance,
but such is so thin as to be absolutely transparent, and calculated to
impose upon nobody.