cinths in the
suddenly disclosed garden was almost overpowering and he passed like a
man in a dream through their sweetness to the front door. The butler
who admitted him conducted him at once to Jane's sanctum. Without any
warning he was ushered in.

"Mr. Tallente, your ladyship."

He had a strange impression of her as she rose from a very sea of
newspapers. She was thinner--he was sure of that--dressed in indoor
clothes although it was the middle of the morning, a suggestion of the
invalid about her easy-chair and her tired eyes. It seemed to him that
for a moment they were lit with a gleam of fear which passed almost
instantaneously. She had recovered herself even before the door was
closed behind the departing servant.

"Mr. Tallente!" she repeated. "You! But how is this possible?"

"Everything is possible," he answered. "I have come to see you, Jane."

She was glad but amazed. Even when he had obeyed her involuntary
gesture and seated himself by her side, there was something incredulous
about her expression.

"But what does it mean that you are here just now?" she persisted.
"According to the newspapers you should be at Buckingham Palace to-day."

"To-morrow," he corrected her. "I hired a very powerful car and motored
down yesterday afternoon. I am starting back when the moon rises
to-night. For these few hours I am better out of London."

"But why--" she faltered.

He was slowly finding himself.

"I came for you, Jane," he said, "on any terms--anyhow. I came to beg
for your sympathy, for some measure of your affection, to beg you to
come back to Charles Street. Is it too late for me to abase myself?"

Her eyes glowed across at him. She suddenly rose, came over and knelt
by the side of his chair. Her arms went around his neck.

"Andrew," she whispered, "I have been ashamed. I was wrong. That
night--the thought of my pettiness--my foolish, selfish fears.--Oh, I
was wrong! I have prayed that the time might come when I could tell
you. And if you hadn't come, I never could have told you. I couldn't
have written. I couldn't have come to London. But I wanted you to
know."

She drew his head down and kissed him upon the lips. Tallente knew then
why he had come. The whole orchestra of life was playing again. He was
strong enough to overcome mountains.

"Andrew," she faltered, "you really--"

He stopped her.

"Jane," he said, "I have some stupid news. It seems to me incredibly
stupid. Let me pass it on