n a tone
of earnestness which struck him as peculiar, for of course he did not
know the news that she had just heard from Mr. Quest.

Then for the first time for many years, Harold Quaritch delivered
himself of a speech that might have been capable of a tender and
hidden meaning.

"I am afraid," he said, bowing, "that if I came to claim the reward, I
should ask for more even that you would be inclined to give."

Ida blushed a little. "We can consider that when you do come, Colonel
Quaritch--excuse me, but here are Mrs. Quest and Mr. Cossey, and I
must go and say how do you do."

Harold Quaritch looked round, feeling unreasonably irritated at this
interruption to his little advances, and for the first time saw Edward
Cossey. He was coming along in the wake of Mrs. Quest, looking very
handsome and rather languid, when their eyes met, and to speak the
truth, the Colonel's first impression was not a complimentary one.
Edward Cossey was in some ways not a bad fellow, but like a great many
young men who are born with silver spoons in their mouths, he had many
airs and graces, one of which was the affectation of treating older
and better men with an assumption of off-handedness and even of
superiority that was rather obnoxious. Thus while Ida was greeting Mr.
Quest, he was engaged in taking in the Colonel in a way which
irritated that gentleman considerably.

Presently Ida turned and introduced Colonel Quaritch, first to Mrs.
Quest and then to Mr. Cossey. Harold bowed to each, and then strolled
off to meet the Squire, whom he noted advancing with his usual array
of protective towels hanging out of his hat, and for a while saw
neither of them any more.

Meanwhile Mr. Quest had emerged from the shelter of his arbutus, and
going from one person to another, said some pleasant and appropriate
word to each, till at last he reached the spot where his wife and
Edward Cossey were standing. Nodding affectionately at the former, he
asked her if she was not going to play tennis, and then drew Cossey
aside.

"Well, Quest," said the latter, "have you told the old man?"

"Yes, I told him."

"How did he take it?"

"Oh, talked it off and said that of course other arrangements must be
made. I spoke to Miss de la Molle too."

"Indeed," said Edward, in a changed tone, "and how did she take it?"

"Well," answered the lawyer, putting on an air of deep concern (and as
a matter of fact he really did feel sorry for her), "I think it wa