"Ah, it's Jack!" exclaimed my grandfather. "Marian

was showing me the way to the gate and our light went

out."

"Miss Devereux," I murmured. I have, I hope, an

icy tone for persons who have incurred my displeasure,

and I employed it then and there, with, no doubt, its

fullest value.

She and my grandfather were groping in the dark for

the lost lantern, and I, putting out my hand, touched

her fingers.

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"I beg your pardon," she murmured frostily.

Then I found and grasped the lantern.

"One moment," I said, "and I'll see what's the trouble."

I thought my grandfather took it, but the flame of

my wax match showed her fingers, clasping the wires of

the lantern. The cloak slipped away, showing her arm's

soft curve, the blue and white of her bodice, the purple

blur of violets; and for a second I saw her face, with a

smile quivering about her lips. My grandfather was

beating impatiently with his stick, urging us to leave the

lantern and go on.

"Let it alone," he said. "I'll go down through the

chapel; there's a lantern in there somewhere."

"I'm awfully sorry," she remarked; "but I recently

lost my best lantern!"

To be sure she had! I was angry that she should so

brazenly recall the night I found her looking for Pickering's

notes in the passage at the Door of Bewilderment!

She had lifted the lantern now, and I was striving to

touch the wax taper to the wick, with imminent danger

to my bare fingers.

"They don't really light well when the oil's out," she

observed, with an exasperating air of wisdom.

I took it from her hand and shook it close to my ear.

"Yes; of course, it's empty," I muttered disdainfully.

"Oh, Mr. Glenarm!" she cried, turning away toward

my grandfather.

I heard his stick beating the rough path several yards

away. He was hastening toward Glenarm House.

"I think Mr. Glenarm has gone home."

"Oh, that is too bad!" she exclaimed.

"Thank you! He's probably at the chapel by this

time. If you will permit me-"

"Not at all!"

A man well advanced in the sixties should not tax his

arteries too severely. I was quite sure that my grandfather

ran up the chapel steps; I could hear his stick

beating hurriedly on the stone.

"If you wish to go farther"-I began.

I was indignant at my grandfather's conduct; he had

deliberately run off, leaving me alone with a young

woman whom I particularly wished to avoid.

"Thank you; I shall go back now. I was merely walking

to the gate with Mr. Glenarm. It is so fine to have

him back again, so unbelievable!"

It was just such a polite murmur as one might employ

in speaking to an old foe at a friend's table.




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