He did not arrive on the gay scene until an hour somewhat late. But
there was one who had seen him early, though no human soul had known of
the event.

In the rambling, ill-cared for grounds of Wildairs Hall there was an old
rose-garden, which had once been the pride and pleasure of some lady of
the house, though this had been long ago; and now it was but a lonely
wilderness where roses only grew because the dead Lady Wildairs had loved
them, and Barbara and Anne had tended them, and with their own hands
planted and pruned during their childhood and young maiden days. But of
late years even they had seemed to have forgotten it, having become
discouraged, perchance, having no gardeners to do the rougher work, and
the weeds and brambles so running riot. There were high hedges and
winding paths overgrown and run wild; the stronger rose-bushes grew in
tangled masses, flinging forth their rich blooms among the weeds; such as
were more delicate, struggling to live among them, became more frail and
scant-blossoming season by season; a careless foot would have trodden
them beneath it as their branches grew long and trailed in the grass; but
for many months no foot had trodden there at all, and it was a beauteous
place deserted.

In the centre was an ancient broken sun-dial, which was in these days in
the midst of a sort of thicket, where a bold tangle of the finest red
roses clambered, and, defying neglect, flaunted their rich colour in the
sun.

And though the place had been so long forgotten, and it was not the
custom for it to be visited, about this garlanded broken sun-dial the
grass was a little trodden, and on the morning of the young heir's coming