him. But they were very confident and happy standing there together in
the sunlight which poured into the room, transfiguring her. And she
truly seemed as lovely, radiant, and youthful as her own young heart,
unsullied, innocent, now, as when it yielded its first love so long ago
amid the rosewood and brocades of the old-time parlour where the sun
fell across the faded roses of the carpet.

"I knew it was so from the way he shook hands," said Hamil, smiling.
"How well he looks, Constance! And as for you--you are a real beauty!"

"You _don't_ think so! But say it, Garry.... And now I think I had
better retire and complete this unceremonious toilet.... And you may
stroll over to pay your respects to Mrs. Cardross in the meanwhile if
you choose."

He looked at her gravely. She nodded. "They all know you are due
to-day."

"Shiela?"

"Yes.... Be careful, Garry; she is very young after all.... I think--if
I were you--I would not even seem conscious that she had been ill--that
anything had happened to interrupt your friendship. She is very
sensitive, very deeply sensible of the dreadful mistake she made, and,
somehow, I think she is a little afraid of you, as though you might
possibly think less of her--Heaven knows what ideas the young conjure to
worry themselves and those they care for!"

She laughed, kissed him and bowed him out; and he went away to bathe and
change into cool clothing of white serge.

Later as he passed through the gardens, a white oleander blossom fell,
and he picked it up and drew it through his coat.

Shadows of palm and palmetto stretched westward across the white shell
road, striping his path; early sunlight crinkled the lagoon; the little
wild ducks steered fearlessly inshore, peering up at him with bright
golden-irised eyes; mullet jumped heavily, tumbling back into the water
with splashes that echoed through the morning stillness.

The stained bronze cannon still poked their ancient and flaring muzzles
out over the lake; farther along crimson hibiscus blossoms blazed from
every hedge; and above him the stately plumes of royal palms hung
motionless, tufting the trunks, which rose with the shaft-like dignity
of slender Egyptian pillars into a cloudless sky.

On he went, along endless hedges of azalea and oleander, past thickets
of Spanish-bayonet, under leaning cocoanut-palms; and at last the huge
banyan-tree rose sprawling across the sky-line, and he saw the white
facades and red-tiled