The Messenger

h country house. "The family" consisted at the moment only of three, the fourth person present being Miss von Schwarzenberg, for i

t or so earlier than had been planned. A more acute anxiety might have touched Lady McIntyre had her husband not deliberately thrown her off the track. He dubbed the great specialist "a verra reasonable fella," w

n strain, at once and

ier than they could have hoped. It was a party which, with a single exception (again Miss von Schwarzenber

anted on wide-apart legs in front of the fireplace-a sanguine-color

her kind. Behold her, therefore, bereft of all fripperies save the dangling diamond ear-rings, which emphasized painfully an excuse for frivolity which had been outlived. To tell the blunt truth, Lady McIntyre looked like some shrunken lit

reached the young men depositing their golf clubs and caps in

an accent very slightly foreign, and to the English

ntrary. Capital idea!" S

led out of an arm-chair as he beat the arm, and cried out with anim

with privately observing yet again how his friend, long and lithe and dark, offered to the rotund little figure of the eminent official a contrast that ministered pleasantly to a sense of the ludicrous. Sir William's bald bullet head barely reached the height of Juli

ses, with an ease that was own child of intelligence of a high degree

eavy, shapely nose, its smooth apple cheeks, its quiet, beautiful mouth-was bent down till her chin rested on her generous bust. It occurred to

der the Gretchen-like banded braids cast delicate shadows on

ut. "Miss von Schwarzenberg says now she

aintly ironic-as though the sensation created by this lady's

nder if you'd be very kind, Mr. Grant, and hel

think of being such a trouble." She had risen. "Sit here, Mr. Grant," she said. "Yes, please. I've finished." In spi

dog-like, and so

he things ordinary mortals care about. It's been the one fault I've had to find with Greta. She doesn't play games. They don't, you know. But the Germans are a wonderful peop

he's had Greta at one of the great women's colleges over there. She insisted on going home every summer ... so domestic, the Germans! I always think it's extremely nice of them to feel affectio

is seals with great vigor, as though they were a summons to industry-a simulacrum of fa

at tran

s do

d the aston

said Sir William, as he di

did it!" tri

ing, "which of you two would go

feet, staring h

ork bag?"

apier, to play golf passably?" She blushed slightly as she went on: "I suppose I've hoped that if I watched you, I'd stand a better chan

rned a little impatiently, "that

r soft persistence, "you'd ever be

him. Out from her disarranged cushion rolled a large ball of fiel

or?" He took it up by the loose end, an

l from him, and remained standing while she rewound. "After all, I sha'n'

he question from habit. Seldom was Greta all

as to say I migh

ady McIntyre

bling downstairs. "Want to b

then in a markedly different tone, "I've tur

said comprehensively. She w

et me come!"

head. Madge looked at her wistf

eam, "I believ

chwarzenbe

t?" deman

friend of mine. A girl

he's not much to look at, and not at all rich, and not much of anyt

st couple of yards. "You see, she's an orphan, and I

American was goin

er task. "At the inn, of course." Miss Greta glance

" Madge threw in. "Don't you m

know. She has grown used to looking to me for the summer. I tried to explain that-" the pause was eloquent of a delicate desire to spare feelings-"that I wasn't taking a holiday myself this year. But,"-on

d out to the chauffeur in a voice of appalling distinctness, and most unmistakably transatlantic: "Are you sure this is the place? It isn't my idea of a.... Oh!" She

had hastened forward, more flurried

ace of rapture. "Oh, my!" and she fe

erate glee at Fr?ulein's struggle to be cordial and at t

ospitable intent. An instant of indecision on Miss von Sc

head, overweighted with a profusion of bright, brown hair; a rather childish face under a little golden-brown hat, guiltless of trimming but for the two brown win

e of color. Miss von Schwarzenberg's round cheeks were richest carmine. "Oh, you've kept the car!

you-" Lady M

on Schwarzenberg, with decision, as she

tood that. "But why shoul

have been in a hurry-a terrible hurry for sixteen days.

friend's waist was less for love, Napier felt sure, than as a

Ellis had had some tea. Miss Ellis still stood looking at her friend with adoring affection. Plainly she was ready to do anything Gre

ughter," said

urse, I've heard about you.

ular shake and let g

e wedge of buttered scone from Bobby, and with great ch

e and Julian, several yards away, were leaning against the

ed ever so faintly, but with enormous meaning. "Behold a child of nature,

t all interfere with a description of the amenities of an unchaperoned sea voyage. Miss Ellis did not pause till, to the accompaniment of a crunch of gr

ut as one, with cries of rapture. Lady McIntyre, hardly less pleased,

of his that seemed to say, "My manners are far too perfect not to suffer others to precede." And the others, in the careless English way, did precede. They even blocked up the entrance, leaving Mr. Carl and his politeness in

oarhounds before, G

view of the spectacle being quite shut out by the crowding at the door, Miss Ellis' atte

said with a quick turn. "I

von Schwarzenberg shot for

eing, you seem like an old friend. Tell him, Greta-" At s

making some mista

you. And you're exactly like your picture, down to the cleft in your chin-" The girl hesitated again as Greta mum

d that?" Then in a half whisper: "I never mentioned

you be

nds they were whirl

ronage of her "little friend." And then they quarreled a little over Napier's decision that it was cheek for a girl to

suppose, out of pure contentiousn

air of eyes? Ye gods! If I could believe in life as that child does, if I were as serenely sure of everybody's good will,"-he threw out his walking-stic

e I go back to it, it seems to me stranger-the expression on t

pression?" said

leave off quarreling with me about the Mercury cap, and just tell me: Why the devil should that woman have pretended she'd ne

know she p

. I saw them