unexpected appeal from a
far country; and only when the trim maid who had replaced the more
haphazard Mrs. Swastika entered with the lighted lamp did Eva rouse
herself from her reverie.

Then, however, she got pen and paper and sat down at the table to frame
some sort of reply. It was not an easy task. With Toni's letter lying
before her, she found it strangely difficult to begin; and was still
sitting staring at the blank sheet of paper when a sudden deep bark from
Olga, who was lying, as usual, nose on paws, in the tiny hall, made her
start to her feet.

"Who's there, I wonder? Olga sounds excited."

She went to the door and opened it, and at the same moment the front
door was flung widely open and a man stepped into the hall, to be
greeted instantly by a torrent of wild barking from the now delighted
Borzoi.

"Steady, old girl! I say, Olga, don't take me for a wolf and tear me to
pieces!" He laughingly pushed the great dog down and hastened towards
his wife.

"Hallo, Eva! Have I startled you? I'm sorry."

"I didn't know who it was." She stared at him with dilated eyes. "I was
sitting in there, and Olga barked so loudly that I thought----"

"Thought I was a burglar!" He kissed her very kindly. "Well, I'm not.
But I've come back for a bit ... yes, put them down there, will you?"

He turned to the door, his arm through his wife's, and paid the cabman,
who had placed his portmanteaux in the hall. Then, when the man,
declining a drink, had gone, Herrick drew his wife back into the little
sitting-room.

"But--I don't understand. Is the portrait off? Aren't you going to paint
the children?"

"Yes, of course I am, but not for a bit. Fact is, the poor kiddies have
started in measles, pretty badly, too, I'm told, so as it was impossible
to get on with the picture just yet I thought I'd better come home and
let their parents send for me when the children are out of quarantine."

"I see." Eva was half pleased, half annoyed by his return. "You want
something to eat, I expect. Shall I go and hurry up dinner?"

"I wish you would, dear." He threw aside his coat as he spoke. "I had
some lunch on the train, but you know what railway lunches are. I came
down from Waterloo with Rose. Jove, Eva, that fellow looks a wreck."

"Does he?" Suddenly she remembered that Toni's letter was lying open on
the table. "I--I suppose he will get over--it--in time."

"I don't think he will. Of course he must really have been devoted to