o happened that neither they, nor Roger on the rare
occasions when he was home on leave from the Front, had chanced to meet
Nan Davenant during her former visits to Mallow Court.

Now that she had seen her, Isobel's ideas were altogether bouleversee.
Never for a single instant would she have imagined that a woman of
Nan's type--artistic, emotional, elusive--could attract a man like
Roger Trenby. The fact remained, however, that Nan had succeeded where
hitherto she herself had failed, and Isobel's dreams of a secure future
had come tumbling about her ears. She realised bitterly that love is
like quicksilver, running this way or that at its own sweet will--and
rarely into the channel we have ordained for it.

CHAPTER XV

KING ARTHUR'S CASTLE

The first person whom Nan encountered on her return from Trenby Hall
was Mrs. Seymour. The latter's eyebrows lifted quizzically.

"Well?" she asked. "How did it go?"

"It didn't 'go' at all!" answered Nan. "I was enveloped in an
atmosphere of severe disapproval. In fact, I think Lady Gertrude
considers I require quite a long course of training before I'm fitted
to be Roger's wife."

"Nonsense!" Kitty smiled broadly.

"Seriously"--nodding. "Apparently the kind of wife she really wants
for him is a combination of the doormat and fetch-and-carry person who
always stays at home, and performs her wifely and domestic duties in a
spirit of due subservience."

"She'll live and learn, then, my dear, when she has you for a
daughter-in-law," commented Kitty drily.

"I think I'm a bit fed up with 'in-laws,'" returned Nan a trifle
wearily. "I'll go out and walk it off. Or, better still, lend me your
bike, Kitty, and I'll just do a spin to Tintagel. By the time I've
climbed up to King Arthur's Castle, I'll feel different. It always
makes me feel good to get to the top of anywhere."

"But, my dear, it's five o'clock already! You won't have time to go
there before dinner."

"Yes, I shall," persisted Nan. "Half an hour to get there--easily! An
hour for the castle, half an hour for coming back, and then just time
enough to skip into a dinner-frock. . . . I must go, really, Kitten,"
she went on with a note of urgency in her voice. "That appalling
drawing-room at Trenby and almost equally appalling dining-room have
got into my system, and I want to blow the germs away." She
gesticulated expressively.

"All right, you ridiculous person, take my bicycle then," repl