ing here?"

He went to the window wonderingly. The window commanded a wide view of
the garden. Looking out into the garden he could see a man, a very tall
and very broad young man, who stood with muscular arms folded across a
great chest. The young man was leaning against an old rose-red brick
wall, smoking a pipe and obviously waiting. The most noticeable thing
about the young man was that he was exceptionally big and of powerful
build and determined appearance. Another thing that Slotman noticed
about him was that he was not Mr. Hugh Alston, whom he remembered
perfectly.

"Well?"

"That gentleman is a friend of mine, related to the lady who lives with
me. If I call on him and ask him to persuade you to go and not return,
he will do so."

"Oh, he will, and what then?"

"I don't understand you--what then? Why did you come here uninvited? Why
did you send an untruthful message by my servant--that I would not
recognise your name?"

"Trying to bluff me, aren't you?" Slotman said. He looked her in the
eyes. "But it won't come off, Joan; no, my dear, I've been too busy of
late to be taken in by your airs and defiance!" He laughed. "I've been
making quite a round, here, there, and everywhere, and all because of
you, Joan--all because of you! Among other places I've been to," he went
on, seeing that she stood silent and unmoved, "is Marlbury You remember
it, eh? A nice little town, quiet though. I had a long talk with Miss
Skinner--remember her, don't you, Joany?"

Her eyes glittered. "Mr. Slotman, I am trying to understand what this
means. Is it that you are mad or intoxicated? Why do you come here to me
with all these statements? Why do you come here at all?"

"Marlbury," he continued unmoved, "a nice, quiet little place. I spent
some time in the church there, and at the Council offices, looking for
something, for something I didn't find, Joany--and didn't expect to find
either, come to that, ha, ha!" He laughed. "No, never expected to find,
but, to make dead sure, I went to Morchester, and hunted there, Joany,
and still I didn't find what I was looking for and knew I shouldn't
find!"

"Mr. Slotman!"

"You aren't curious, are you? You won't ask what I was looking for,
perhaps you can guess!" He took a step nearer to her. "You can guess,
can't you, Joany?" he said.

"I am not attempting to guess. I can only imagine that you are not in
your sane senses. You will now go, and if you return--"

"Wait a moment. Wh