The Keeper of the Door

I was just wondering if I w

made him chafe indignantly, and leaned from the saddle t

ine, and reached up an impetuous hand, as re

know he won't be satisfied till he has had a good beating. Per

m!" Olga pleaded.

ning it. He'll have to have it." Violet spoke as if she were discussing the mechani

y-I know he will throw you or bol

dear child, if I were afraid of that, I

Olga. "He is much too str

red a snort that was like an exclamation of rage, and leaped clean off the ground. Striking it again, he reared, but received a stinging cut over the ears that brought h

p the spectacle she had just witnessed was faultless; but it gave her no pleasure, and there was no admiration in the ey

nd a clump of trees, she remounted her bi

es, and only a stretch of gleaming hillside now intervened between it and the sea. The wash and roar of the Channel and the crying of gulls swept over the grass-clad space as though already claim had been laid to the old grey buildi

friend had disappeared, but she saw no sign of her. Finally, reaching the house, sh

rish wolf-hound, who came from the

friends. As she finally returned to the carriag

e outside. The great hall she thus entered had been the chapel in the days of the monks, and it had

oceeding from a stained-glass window at the farther end-a gruesome wi

n this the girl seated herself, with the great dog close bes

een a place bewitched, so intense and so uncanny was the silence, broken only by that g

ce it is, Cork!" Olga r

d the night here! I ca

of superiority and gave her to understand th

there came the sound of a careless footfall and Violet Campion, her riding-whip dang

me, evidently at some joke

his majesty King Devil for once. He's come back positively

iolet, what extraordina

t extraordinary. Look inside, and picture to yourself how comfy I shall be! You can co

at this friend of hers was the loveliest girl she had ever seen. Certainly her beauty was superb, of the Spanish-Irish type that is world-famous,-black hair that clustered in soft ringlets about the

ur worthy uncle is just the same. If I weren't so deeply in love with him, I might resent it. But Nick is a privileged person, isn't he, wherever he goes? Didn'

ga came and stood beside her. They formed a wonderful contrast-a contrast that might have seemed

s," she said. "He is wonderfully good, yo

very lethargic young woman! I should have made him a much more suitable wife-if he had only had

thargic! She is one of the deepest people I know

ure he is the soul of virtue. But how comes it that the devoted Muriel can tear herse

positively ordered him abroad, and when Muriel demurred about taking him out of Dad's reach (she has such faith in him, you know), he arranged to go

on. "You scandalize me. An innocent child like you! Not to be thought of for a m

have come to ask you to

u can't think how w

was never recognized. "Pray give me time to deliberate. You forget that I also ha

on't mind. Can't

pinion entertained by the speaker for the latter. "Moreover, Bruce and I had a difference of opinion this morning and are not upon spe

me to tea here yes

did you fin

told

n you as

charge with indignation. "I don't tak

nd looked at her with

the young man?

Olga declared

owner thereof. "Young men don't grow on every gooseberry bush. Besides, one can never tell! The object of o

Olga said with great determination. "I should hate him q

ull at her. "Allegro,"-it was Violet Campion's special name for her, and she ut

ned crimson with indignant protest. "I haven't! I

indecent the truth can be? What a pity to waste such a lovely b

such a fool with you within reach!" th

ch," said Violet, with a

with spirit. "Anyhow, he never went

r indignation. Violet was absolutely irresistible when she

my dear, I'll come, and we will play at battledore and shuttlecock to your heart's content. But if the young man turn

ned inwards, sweeping Olga with her with characterist

the south wall, close to the wonderful stained window. Olg

ribly realist

ey've made the poor man so revoltingly sanctimonious that one really can't feel sorry for him. I'd cut off the hea

d smaller hall, and on up a wide oak staircase with a carved balustrade that was

ew from it was magnificent. Straight out to the open

er than Redlan

erty. Imagine being condemned to pass this window a dozen times in the day, on the way to that dreary chapel of theirs. A refinement of torture with which the window downstairs

, and so to her own room, a cheerful a

suppose I must pack some clothes. Does th

ow. It's such a waste of time," said the pract

y. I wonder if you could wear any of my

lga's reply was very prompt. "As to eclipsing me

ually want to be eclipsed! What on earth has the young man

with her chin in the air. "But I detest

. Maxwell Wyndham-I don't think I shall make much impression. If he means to gobble you up, he certainly will do so, whether I interfere or not. I've a notion you might do worse, green eyes and red hair notwithstanding. He w

hed. "You are positiv

ol

ly shrewd and far-seeing. Well, dear, what shall I bring to wear? Do you think I sha

hat red thing. Wear white.

bla

t colours. You are too

ed thing, as you call it,

t's much too splendid for ordinary occasions. Yes, that pale mauve is exquisite. You will l

so you shall make your own choice. By the way, how shall I get to Weir? Mrs. Bruce has the car, and will

e motor. Nick won't mind. You get

her friend's belongings up

her long to run across to the garage and fetch the little motor which Nick himself had taught her years ago to drive. Lightly she ran down the oak stairs and through the echoing hall once mor

l-studded door was like entering another world. Sh