The midland journal., 1915-11-12
CHAPTER Iv-continued.

Il wonder who can have done it,"
SO do the police, and they don't
look much like finding out!"
1T must have been for his watch
and money, don't you think? And yet
they say he had so many enemies!"
Cazalet kept silence; but she thought
he WINGED. "Of course it must have
been the man who ran out of the
drive she concluded hastily Where
were you when 1t happened, Sweep?"
Somewhat hoarsely ne was recall
ing the Mediterranean movements Of
the Kaiser Fritz, when at the first
mention Of the vessels name he was
firmly heckled.
Sweep, you don't mean to say you
came by German steamer"
Il do. It was the first going, and
why should waste week? Besides,
you can generally get cabin to your
self on the German line"
80 that's why you're here before
the end Of the month";" said Blanche.
Well, I call it most unpatriotic; but
the cabin to yourself was certainly
some excuse"
That reminds mel" he exclaimed.
4 hadn't 1t to myself all the way;
there was another fellow in with me
from Genoa: and the last night on
board it came out that he knew you!"
Who can it have been?"
''roye, his name was. Hilton Toye."
AN American man! Oh, but /
know him very WE'LL" said Blanche in
tone both strained and cordial. He's
great fun, Mr.. Toye, with his delight
full Americanisms, and the perfectly
delightful way he says them!"
Cazalet puckered like the primitive
man he was, when taken at all by sur
prise; and that anybody, much less
Blanche, should think Toye, of all peo-
pie, either delightful" or great fun"
was certainly a surprise to him, if 1t
was nothing else. OF course it was
nothing else, to his immediate knowl-
edge; still, he was rather ready to
think that Blanche was blushing. but
forgot, if indeed he had been in fit
state to see it at the time, that she
had paid himself the same high COM
pliment across the gate. On the whole,
it may be said that Cazalet was ruff
fed without feeling seriously disturbed
as to the essential issue which alone
leaped to his mind.
Where did you meet the fellow?"
he inquired. with the suitable admix-
ture of confidence and amusement
In the first instance, at Engelberg."
"Engelberg! Where's that?"
only one of those places in Swift
zerland where everybody goes now
adays for what they call winter
sports"
She was not even smiling at his ar
rogant ignorance; she was merely ex-
planning one geographical point and
another of general information A
close observer might have thought
her almost anxious not to identify her.
self too closely with a popular craze.
Il dare say you mentioned it, said
Cazalet, but rather as though he was
wondering why she had not.
Il dare say l didn't! Everything
won't go into an annual letter. 1t was
the winter before last-I went out
with Betty and her husband"
And after that he took a place
down here?"
Yes. Then met him on the river
the following summer, and found he'd
got rooms in one of the Nell Gwynne
Cottages, if you call that a place"
Il see."
But there was no more to see; there
aever had been much, but now
Blanche was standing up and gazing
out of the balcony into the belt of
singing sunshine between the opposite
side OF the road and the invisible river
acres away,
Why shouldn't we go down to Lit
tleford and get out the boat if you're
really going to make an afternoon of
lt?" she said. But you simply must
see Martha first; and while she's max
ing herself fit to be seen. you must
take something for the good of the
house. I'll bring it to you on a lordly
tray"
She brought him siphon, stoppered
bottle, silver biscuit-box of ancient
memories, and left him alone with
them some little time; for the young
Z mistress, like her old retainer in an
other minute. was simply dying to
make herself more presentable. Yet
when she had done so. and came back
like snow, in shirt and skirt just
home from the laundry. she saw that
he did not see the difference His de-
vouring eyes shone neither more nor
less; but he had also devoured every