with it. Let it all be, for this day at least, as though
there had been no walk in the Stalham Woods. There is Larry
Twentyman. If I break down as I did on Friday you may always trust to
him. Larry and you are old friends now."

"Carpe diem," she said to herself. "Oh, yes; if it were only
possible. How is one to 'carpe diem' with one's heart full of
troubles?" And it was the less possible because this man whom she
had rejected was so anxious to do everything for her happiness. Lady
Albury had told her that he was a hero,--that he was perfect in
honour, honesty, and gallantry; and she felt inclined to own that
Lady Albury was almost right. Yet,--yet how far was he from that
image of manly perfection which her daily thoughts had created for
her! Could she have found an appropriate word with which to thank
him she would have done so; but there was no such word, and Larry
Twentyman was now with them, taking off his hat and overflowing with
compliments. "Oh, Miss Dormer, I am so delighted to see you out
again."

"How is the baby, Mr. Twentyman?"

"Brisk as a bee, and hungry as a hunter."

"And how is Mrs. Twentyman?"

"Brisker and hungrier than the baby. What do you think of the day,
Colonel?"

"A very good sort of day, Twentyman, if we were anywhere out of these
big woods." Larry shook his head solemnly. The Mudcombe Woods in
which they were now at work had been known to occupy Tony Tappett
and his whole pack from eleven o'clock till the dusk of evening.
"We've got to draw them, of course," continued the Colonel. Then Mr.
Twentyman discoursed at some length on the excellence of Mudcombe
Woods. What would any county be without a nursery for young foxes?
Gorse-coverts, hedge-rows, and little spinneys would be of no avail
unless there were some grandly wild domain in which maternal and
paternal foxes could roam in comparative security. All this was just
as Ayala would have it, because it enabled her to ask questions, and
saved her from subjects which might be painful to her.

The day, in truth, was not propitious to hunting even. Foxes were
found in plenty, and two of them were killed within the recesses of
the wood; but on no occasion did they run a mile into the open. For
Ayala it was very well, because she was galloping hither and thither,
and because before the day was over she found herself able to talk to
the Colonel in her wonted manner; but there was no great glory for
her as had been the glory of Little Cran