observation she had detected a subtle
resemblance between them, and she proclaimed her discovery with her
natural frankness.

It was the second evening of her stay, and the three were sitting
out on the lawn together. She had been looking long and earnestly at
her mysterious kinswoman.

"Frida, you really are a sort of cousin, aren't you?"

"So I've always been told."

"And Mr. Durant, is he a sort of cousin, too?"

"I never heard that."

"I'm afraid I have not the honor."

"That's odd. I thought he must be."

"Why?" asked Miss Tancred.

"Oh, because there's a likeness somewhere. Not in the face exactly,
but--yes, there! Keep that expression on your face one minute, Mr.
Durant; now don't you see it?"

"See what?"

"It--the likeness. He looks terribly reserved somehow--a sort of
wild-horses-shan't-draw-it-out-of-me expression, and yet so
fearfully restless; and that's just like you."

There was an embarrassed silence; and then Miss Chatterton again
raised her cheerful voice.

"I say, Frida! you might tell me exactly what I'm in for. Are you
two going to be horribly intellectual and clever and that sort of
thing?"

"I'm not," said Miss Tancred.

"I'm not," echoed Durant.

"Thank Heaven! Because you both look as if you'd a tremendous lot in
you. I wonder if you'll ever let it out."

"Not if we can help it," said Durant.

"There you are again! If you're not Frida's first cousin, you ought
to be."

Durant smiled; he wondered whether the idea was more than the random
frolicking of Miss Chatterton's brain. She was evidently a young
woman of perception; but her perceptions had wings, and she threw
them off from her in a manner altogether spontaneous, impersonal and
free. It was nothing to her if they brushed against the truth
sometimes in their irresponsible flight.

"You don't mind all these personal remarks, do you?"

"Not in the least," said Miss Tancred.

"For my part I rather like them," said Durant; but they both
carefully avoided each other's eyes.

XI

Durant had a grievance against Miss Chatterton. He had been induced
to lengthen his visit in order to entertain her, and Miss Chatterton
refused to be entertained. His position at Coton Manor had thus
become a humiliating sinecure. There was no earthly reason why he
should stay any longer, and yet he stayed.

The fact was, that by this time he was really interested in other
things beside the landscape. He had wondered how long Miss