soon as I go down。 This room is like a hot…house。〃
〃Yes； Major； the fire shall be extinguished and the sleeping…chamber
ventilated。 The other boot； if you please； Major。〃
〃Jeekie；〃 said Alan； 〃who is stopping in this place？ Have you heard？〃
〃I collected some names on my way upstairs； Major。 Three of the
gentlemen you have never met before； but；〃 he added suddenly breaking
away from his high…flown book…learned English； as was his custom when
in earnest； 〃Jeekie think they just black niggers like the rest； thief
people。 There ain't a white man in this house； except you and Miss
Barbara and me； Major。 Jeekie learnt all that in servant's hall
palaver。 No； not now； other time。 Everyone tell everything to Jeekie；
poor old African fool； and he look up an answer； 'O law！ you don't say
so？' but keep his eyes and ears open all the same。〃
〃I'll be bound you do； Jeekie；〃 replied Alan； laughing again。 〃Well；
go on keeping them open； and give me those trousers。〃
〃Yes； Major；〃 answered Jeekie； reassuming his grand manner； 〃I shall
continue to collect information which may prove to your advantage； but
personally I wish that you were clear of the whole caboodle； except
Miss Barbara。〃
〃Hear； hear；〃 ejaculated Alan； 〃there goes the gong。 Mind you come in
and help to wait；〃 and hurrying into his coat he departed downstairs。
The guests were gathered in the hall drinking sherry and bitters； a
proceeding that to Alan's mind set a stamp upon the house。 His host；
Mr。 Champers…Haswell； came forward and greeted him with much
affectionate enthusiasm； and Alan noticed that he looked very pale；
also that his thoughts seemed to be wandering； for he introduced a
French banker to him as a noted Jew； and the noted Jew as the French
banker； although the distinction between them was obvious and the
gentlemen concerned evidently resented the mistake。 Sir Robert
Aylward； catching sight of him； came across the hall in his usual；
direct fashion； and shook him by the hand。
〃Glad to see you； Vernon；〃 he said； fixing his piercing eyes upon Alan
as though he were trying to read his thoughts。 〃Pleasant change this
from the City and all that eternal business； isn't it？ Ah！ you are
thinking that one is not quite clear of business after all；〃 and he
glanced round at the company。 〃That's one of your cousin Haswell's
faults； he can never shake himself free of the thing； never get any
real recreation。 I'd bet you a sovereign that he has a stenographer
waiting by a telephone in the next room； just in case any opportunity
should arise in the course of conversation。 That is magnificent； but
it is not wise。 His heart can't stand it； it will wear him out before
his time。 Listen； they are all talking about the Sahara。 I wish I were
there； it must be quiet at any rate。 The sands beneath； the eternal
stars above。 Yes； I wish I were there；〃 he repeated with a sigh； and
Alan noted that although his face could not be more pallid than its
natural colour； it looked quite worn and old。
〃So do I；〃 he answered with enthusiasm。
Then a French gentleman on his left； having discovered that he was the
engineer who had formulated the great flooding scheme； began to
address him as 〃Cher maitre；〃 speaking so rapidly his own language
that Alan； whose French was none of the best； struggled after him in
vain。 Whilst he was trying to answer a question which he did not
understand； the door at the end of the hall opened； and through it
appeared Barbara Champers。
It was a large hall and she was a long way off； which caused her to
look small； who indeed was only of middle height。 Yet even at that
distance it was impossible to mistake the dignity of her appearance。 A
slim woman with brown hair； cheerful brown eyes； a well…modelled face；
a rounded figure and an excellent complexion； such was Barbara。 Ten
thousand young ladies could be found as good； or even better looking；
yet something about her differentiated her from the majority of her
sex。 There was determination in her step； and overflowing health and
vigour in her every movement。 Her eyes had a trick of looking straight
into any other eyes they met； not boldly； but with a kind of virginal
fearlessness and enterprise that people often found embarrassing。
Indeed she was extremely virginal and devoid of the usual fringe of
feminine airs and graces； a nymph of the woods and waters； who
although she was three and twenty； as yet recked little of men save as
companions whom she liked or disliked according to her instincts。 For
the rest she was sweetly dressed in a white robe with silver on it；
and wore no ornaments save a row of small pearls about her throat and
some lilies of the valley at her breast。
Barbara came straight onwards； looking neither to the right or to the
left； till she reached her uncle； to whom she nodded。 Then she walked
to Alan and； offering him her hand； said：
〃How do you do！ Why did you not come over at lunch time？ I wanted to
play a round of golf with you this afternoon。〃
Alan answered something about being busy at Yarleys。
〃Yarleys！〃 she replied。 〃I thought that you lived in the City now；
making money out of speculations； like everyone else that I know。〃
〃Why； Miss Champers；〃 broke in Sir Robert reproachfully； 〃I asked you
to play a round of golf before tea and you would not。〃
〃No；〃 she answered； 〃because I was waiting for my cousin。 We are
better matched； Sir Robert。〃
There was something in her voice； usually so soft and pleasant； as she
spoke these words； something of steeliness and defiance that caused
Alan to feel at once happy and uncomfortable。 Apparently also it
caused Aylward to feel angry； for he flashed a glance at Alan over her
head of which the purport could not be mistaken； though his pale face
remained as immovable as ever。 〃We are enemies。 I hate you；〃 said that
glance。 Probably Barbara saw it； at any rate before either of them
could speak again； she said：
〃Thank goodness； there is dinner at last。 Sir Robert； will you take me
in； and； Alan； will you sit on the other side of me？ My uncle will
show the rest their places。〃
The meal was long and magnificent； the price of each dish of it would
have kept a poor family for a month； and on the cost of the exquisite
wines they might have lived for a year or two。 Also the last were well
patronized by everyone except Barbara； who drank water； and Alan； who
since his severe fever took nothing but weak whiskey and soda and a
little claret。 Even Aylward； a temperate person； absorbed a good deal
of champagne。 As a consequence the conversation grew animated； and
under cover of it； while Sir Robert was arguing with his neighbour on
the left； Barbara asked in a low voice：
〃What is the row； Alan？ Tell me； I can't wait any longer。〃
〃I have quarrelled with them；〃 he answered； staring at his mutton as
though he were criticizing it。 〃I mean； I have left the firm and have
nothing more to do with the business。〃
Barbara's eyes lit up as she whispered back：
〃Glad of it。 Best news I have heard for many a day。 But then； may I
ask why you are here？〃
〃I came to see you；〃 he replied humbly〃thought perhaps you wouldn't
mind；〃 and in his confusion he let his knife fall into the mutton；
whence it rebounded； staining his shirt front。
Barbara laughed； that happy； delightful little laugh of hers；
presumably at the accident with the knife。 Whether or no she 〃minded〃
did not appear； only she handed her handkerchief； a costly； last…
fringed trifle； to Alan to wipe the gravy off his shirt； which he took
thinking it was a napkin； and as she did so； touched his hand with a
little caressing movement of her fingers。 Whether this was done by
chance or on purpose did not appear either。 At least it made Alan feel
extremely happy。 Also when he discovered what it was； he kept that
gravy…stained handkerchief； nor did she ever ask for it back again。
Only once in after days when she happened to come across it stuffed
away in the corner of a despatch…box； she blushed all over； and said
that she had no idea that any man could be so foolish out of a book。
〃Now that /you/ are really clear of it； I am going for them；〃 she said
presently when the wiping process was finished。 〃I have only
restrained myself for your sake；〃 and leaning back in her chair she
stared at the ceiling； lost in meditation。
Presently there came one of those silences which will fall upon
dinner…parties at times； however excellent and plentiful the
champagne。
〃Sir Robert Aylward；〃 said Barbara in that clear； carrying voice of
hers； 〃will you； as an expert； instruct a very ignorant person？ I want
a little information。〃
〃Miss Champers；〃 he answered； 〃am I not always at your service？〃 and
all listened to hear upon what point their hostess desired to be
enlightened。
〃Sir Robert；〃 she went on calmly； 〃everyone here is； I believe； what
is called a financier； that is except myself and Major Vernon； who
only tries to be and will； I am sure； fail； since Nature made him
something else； a soldier andwhat else did Nature make you； Alan？〃
As he vouchsafed no answer to question； although Sir Robert muttered
an uncomplimentary one between his lips which Barbara heard； or read；
she