walked toward the landau and the linen umbrella.

The carriage group waited, watching with flagging conversation, which
finally fell into silence. But the two approaching strolled easily and
talked. Even in cold daylight Kerr still gave Flora the impression that
the open was not big enough to hold him, but she saw a difference in his
mood, a graver eye, a colder mouth, and when he finally greeted them, a
manner that was brusk. It showed uncivil beside the major's urbanity.

The major was glad, very glad, to see them all. He was evidently also a
little flurried. He seemed to know that they had all met Kerr before.
Had it been at the moment of his attempted departure that Kerr had told
him, Flora wondered? And had he given them as his excuse for going away?
It hurt her; though why should she be hurt because a stranger had not
wanted to cross the parade-ground to shake hands with her? He was less
interested in her than he was in Harry, at whom he had looked keenly.

But Harry's nervousness had left him, now that Purdie was within his
reach. He returned the glance indifferently. He stood close to the
major--his hand on his shoulder. The major, with his bland blue eyes
twinkling from Clara to Flora, seemed the only man ready to devote
himself to the service of the ladies.

"And what's the news from the front?" said Clara gaily. Kerr gave her a
rapid glance; but the major blinked as if the allusion had got by him.

"I mean the mystery--the Chatworth ring," she explained. However
lightly and sweetly Clara said it, it was a little brazen to fling such
a question at poor Purdie, whose responsibility the ring had been.

He received it amicably enough, but conclusively. "No news whatever, my
dear Mrs. Britton."

She smiled. "We're all rather interested in the mystery. Flora has made
a dozen romances about it."

"Oh, yes, yes," said the major indulgently. "It will do for young ladies
to make romances about. It'll be a two days' wonder, and then you'll
suddenly find out it's something very tame indeed."

"Why, have they fixed the suspicion?" said Clara.

There was a restless movement from Kerr.

"No, no, nothing of that sort," said the major quickly.

Harry passed his hand through his arm. "May I see you for five minutes,
Major?"

The excellent major looked harassed.

"Suppose we all step up to the house," he suggested. "Why, you're not
going, man?" he objected, for Kerr had fallen back a step, and, with
lifted hat a