came sweeping across from
the Surrey Downs, keenly relishing the fragrance of the new-mown hay and
the faint odour of pines from the distant dark-crested hill. As he came
up the field towards the house he looked with pleasure upon the great
bed of gorgeous-coloured rhododendrons which bordered his lawn, the dark
cedars which drooped over the smooth shaven grass, and the faint flush
of colour from the rose-gardens beyond. The house itself was small, but
picturesque. It was a grey stone building of two stories only, and from
where he was seemed completely embowered in flowers and creepers. In a
way, he thought, he would be sorry to leave it. It had been a pleasant
summer-house for him, although of course it was no fit dwelling-house
for a millionaire. He must look out for something at once now--a country
house and estate. All these things would come as a matter of course.

He opened another gate and passed into an inner plantation of pines and
shrubs which bordered the grounds. A winding path led through it, and,
coming round a bend, he stopped short with a little exclamation. A girl
was standing with her back to him rapidly sketching upon a little block
which she had in her left hand.

"Hullo!" he remarked, "another guest! and who brought you down, young
lady, eh?"

She turned slowly round and looked at him in cold surprise. Trent knew
at once that he had made a mistake. She was plainly dressed in white
linen and a cool muslin blouse, but there was something about her,
unmistakable even to Trent, which placed her very far apart indeed from
any woman likely to have become his unbidden guest. He knew at once that
she was one of that class with whom he had never had any association.
She was the first lady whom he had ever addressed, and he could have
bitten out his tongues when he remembered the form of his doing so.

"I beg your pardon, miss," he said confusedly, "my mistake! You see,
your back was turned to me."

She nodded and smiled graciously.

"If you are Mr. Scarlett Trent," she said, "it is I who should
apologise, for I am a flagrant trespasser. You must let me explain."

CHAPTER IX

The girl had moved a step towards him as she spoke, and a gleam of
sunlight which had found its way into the grove flashed for a moment on
the stray little curls of her brown-gold hair and across her face.
Her lips were parted in a delightful smile; she was very pretty, and
inclined to be apologetic. But Scarlett Trent ha