e knew that he had nothing to offer to Lady
Ongar but a brotherly friendship; but, nevertheless, it was an injury to
him that she should be acquainted intimately with any unmarried man but
himself.

On the next day he was to go to Stratton, and in the morning a letter
was brought to him by the postman; a letter, or rather a very short
note. Guildford was the postmark, and he knew at once that it was from
Lady Ongar.

DEAR MR. CLAVERING (the note said)--

I was so sorry to leave London without seeing you; I shall be back
by the end of April, and am keeping on the same rooms. Come to me,
if you can, on the evening of the 30th, after dinner. He at last
bade Hermy to write and ask me to go to Clavering for the Easter
week. Such a note! I'll show it you when we meet. Of course I
declined.

But I write on purpose to tell you that I have begged Count Pateroff
to see you. I have not seen him, but I have had to write to him
about things that happened in Florence. He has come to England
chiefly with reference to the affairs of Lord Ongar. I want you to
hear his story. As far as I have known him he is a truth-telling
man, though I do not know that I am able to say much more in his
favor. Ever yours, J. O.

When he had read this he was quite an altered man. See Count Pateroff!
Of course he would see him. What task could be more fitting for a friend
than this, of seeing such a man under such circumstances. Before he left
London he wrote a note for Count Pateroff, to be given to the count by
the people at the lodgings should he call during Harry's absence from
London. In this he explained that he would be at Clavering for a
fortnight, but expressed himself ready to come up to London at a day's
notice should Count Pateroff be necessitated again to leave London
before the day named.

As he went about his business that day, and as he journeyed down to
Stratton, he entertained much kinder ideas about Lady Ongar than he had
previously done since seeing Count Pateroff's card.

Chapter X

Florence Burton at the Rectory

Harry Clavering went down to Stratton, slept one night at old Mr.
Burton's house, and drove Florence over to Clavering--twenty miles
across the country, on the following day. This journey together had been
looked forward to with great delight by both of them, and Florence in
spite of the snubbing which she had received from her lover because of
he