and a hurt young seriousness was in her lifted purple eyes: "I don't want
it to be a 'simple case' with any scientific--" and just here a merry
call interrupted her from up-stream.

Phoebe and Polly had come to summon her back to the club; tea was on the
brew. With the intensest hospitality they invited Andrew to come, too.
But he declined with what grace he could and made his way through the
tangle down-stream as they walked back under the beeches.

Thus a very bitter thing had come to Andrew Sevier--and sweet as the
pulse of heaven. In his hand he had seen a sensitive flower unfold to its
very heart of flame.

"Never let her know," he prayed, "never let her know."




CHAPTER VII

STRANGE WILD THINGS


"Phoebe," said David Kildare as he seated himself on the corner of the
table just across from where Phoebe sat in Major Buchanan's chair writing
up her one o'clock notes, "what is there about me that makes people think
they must make me judge of the criminal court of this county? Do I look
job-hungry so as to notice it?"

"No," answered Phoebe as she folded her last sheet and laid down her