There he had bent, with ardour and misgivings, to pick up Leonie's
towel, just as the soft wind caught her bathing cloak as she stretched
out her hand with a smile of thanks.

She had grabbed at the cloak and missed it by a bit, so that it had
swept behind her, hanging from one shoulder like some Grecian drapery,
and the rotund little man had trotted round her draped side, picked up
the cloak by the big button, and completed his trot, covering her up as
he moved.

And as he trotted his little porcine eyes had glistened as they
lingered upon the perfect figure, from the slim ankles to the confused
face, and Leonie had blushed, though you could not have discerned it
through the tan, pulled the cloak tighter and hurried across the road
to the cottage gate.

But with the clumsy swiftness of the elephantine, the man had run after
her and opened the cottage gate just as Susan Hetth opened the cottage
door with the welcoming announcement that tea was ready.

"Ha!" he had snorted as he almost ran up the path, leaving Leonie to
stand still and stare in amazement at the little scene. "And I'll have
some tea, too, Lady Susan Hetth, and how d'you do. Long time since we
met, eh?"

Diamonds sparkled in the sun as the man stretched out an effusive hand,
and a flame of anger sparkled in the small eyes as Lady Susan drew back
frigidly.

Not being of them herself she set all the greater store on knowing