against him, and she had played the card.

Considering the nature and suddenness of the blow which had fallen upon
him, Trent's recovery was marvellous. The two men had come face to
face upon the short turf, involuntarily each had come to a standstill.
Ernestine looked from one to the other a little bewildered.

"I should like a word with you, Trent," Captain Francis said quietly.

Trent nodded.

"In five minutes," he said, "I will return here--on the other side of
the band-stand, say."

Francis nodded and stood aside. Trent and Ernestine continued their
progress towards the stand.

"Your friend," Ernestine remarked, "seemed to come upon you like a
modern Banquo!"

Trent, who did not understand the allusion, was for once discreet.

"He is a man with whom I had dealings abroad," he said, "I did not
expect him to turn up here."

"In West Africa?" she asked quickly.

Trent smiled enigmatically.

"There are many foreign countries besides Africa," he said, "and I've
been in most of them. This is box No. 13, then. I shall see you this
evening."

She nodded, and Trent was free again. He did not make his way at once
to the band-stand. Instead he entered the small refreshment-room at
the base of the building and called for a glass of brandy. He drank
it slowly, his eyes fixed upon the long row of bottles ranged upon
the shelf opposite to him, he himself carried back upon a long wave of
thoughts to a little West African station where the moist heat rose
in fever mists and where an endless stream of men passed backward and
forward to their tasks with wan, weary faces and slowly dragging limbs.
What a cursed chance which had brought him once more face to face with
the one weak spot in his life, the one chapter which, had he the power,
he would most willingly seal for ever! From outside came the ringing of
a bell, the hoarse shouting of many voices in the ring, through the open
door a vision of fluttering waves of colour, lace parasols and picture
hats, little trills of feminine laughter, the soft rustling of muslins
and silks. A few moments ago it had all seemed so delightful to him--and
now there lay a hideous blot upon the day.

It seemed to him when he left the little bar that he had been there for
hours, as a matter of fact barely five minutes had passed since he had
left Ernestine. He stood for a moment on the edge of the walk, dazzled
by the sunlight, then he stepped on to the grass and made his way
through