ue. The spring was
too far beneath to be found by them.

When, at last, she raised her head, Lord Eglington was in the path,
looking at her with a half-smile. She did not start, but her face turned
white, and a mist came before her eyes.

Quickly, however, as though fearful lest he should think he could
trouble her composure, she laid a hand upon herself.

He came near to her and held out his hand. "It has been a long six
months since we met here," he said.

She made no motion to take his hand. "I find days grow shorter as I
grow older," she rejoined steadily, and smoothed her hair with her hand,
making ready to put on her bonnet.

"Ah, do not put it on," he urged quickly, with a gesture. "It becomes
you so--on your arm."

She had regained her self-possession. Pride, the best weapon of a woman,
the best tonic, came to her resource. "Thee loves to please thee at any
cost," she replied. She fastened the grey strings beneath her chin.

"Would it be costly to keep the bonnet on your arm?"

"It is my pleasure to have it on my head, and my pleasure has some value
to myself."

"A moment ago," he rejoined laughing, "it was your pleasure to have it
on your arm."

"Are all to be monotonous except Lord Eglington? Is he to have the only
patent of change?"

"Do I change?" He smiled at her with a sense of inquisition, with an air
that seemed to say, "I have lifted the veil of this woman's heart; I am
the master of the situation."

She did not answer to the obvious meaning of his words, but said:

"Thee has done little else but change, so far as eye can see. Thee and
thy family were once of Quaker faith, but thee is a High Churchman now.
Yet they said a year ago thee was a sceptic or an infidel."

"There is force in what you say," he replied. "I have an inquiring mind;
I am ever open to reason. Confucius said: 'It is only the supremely wise
or the deeply ignorant who never alter.'"

"Thee has changed politics. Thee made a 'sensation, but that was not
enough. Thee that was a rebel became a deserter."

He laughed. "Ah, I was open to conviction! I took my life in my hands,
defied consequences." He laughed again.

"It brought office."

"I am Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs," he murmured complacently.

"Change is a policy with thee, I think. It has paid thee well, so it
would seem."

"Only a fair rate of interest for the capital invested and the risks
I've taken," he answered with an amused look.

"I do not