about London, interviewed his publisher, made researches into
seventeenth century documents at the British Museum, and somehow
managed in his rapid way to acquire those glimpses of life and
character which he afterwards turned to such good account. All was
grist that came to his mill, and at first the mere sight of his old
home, London, seemed to revive him. Of course at the very first
opportunity he called at the Probyns', and we both of us had an
invitation to go there on the following Wednesday to see the march
past of the troops and to lunch. Derrick was nearly beside himself
at the prospect, for he knew that he should certainly meet Freda at
last, and the mingled pain and bliss of being actually in the same
place with her, yet as completely separated as if seas rolled
between them, was beginning to try him terribly.

Meantime Lawrence had turned up again, greatly improved in every way
by all that he had lived through, but rather too ready to fall in
with his father's tone towards Derrick. The relations between the
two brothers--always a little peculiar--became more and more
difficult, and the Major seemed to enjoy pitting them against each
other.

At length the day of the review arrived. Derrick was not looking
well, his eyes were heavy with sleeplessness, and the Major had been
unusually exasperating at breakfast that morning, so that he started
with a jaded, worn-out feeling that would not wholly yield even to
the excitement of this long-expected meeting with Freda. When he
found himself in the great drawing-room at Lord Probyn's house, amid
a buzz of talk and a crowd of strange faces, he was seized with one
of those sudden attacks of shyness to which he was always liable.
In fact, he had been so long alone with the old Major that this