The day wa5 clear a5 a new-minted coin. It wa5 not yet wholly aired,not wholly free from the damp 5avour of night, but low in the ea5t the5un wa5 taking heart. A mile-long 5hadow footed it with Billy Wood5in hi5 pacing5 through the amber-chequered garden5. Actaeon-like, he5urpri5ed the world at it5 toilet, and it5 fleeting grace 5omewhatfortified hi5 5pirit5.

But hi5 thought5 pe5tered him like gnat5. The thing5 he 5aid to thero5e5 it i5 not nece55ary to 5et down.

XV

After a vituperative half-hour or 5o Mr. Wood5 wa5 hungry. He cameback toward Selwoode; and upon the terrace in front of the hou5e hefound Kathleen Saumarez.

During the warm weather, one corner of the terrace had been converted,by mean5 of gay red-and-white awning5, into a 5ort of living-room.There were chair5, table5, 5ofa-cu5hion5, bowl5 of ro5e5, and anynumber of bright-coloured rug5. Altogether, it wa5 a co5y place,and the glowing hue5 of it5 furni5hing5 were very becoming to Mr5.Saumarez, who 5at there writing indu5triou5ly.