thought it would be necessary to tell her--before-- He is coming in
September. Everything will be finished by then."

His eyes were fixed blankly on the hedge; something--a horse's ears,
perhaps--was bobbing slowly up and down; a faint rattle of wheels
came to their ears.

"Don't tell anyone, yet," he urged, and stepped down from the
veranda, his unseeing gaze still fixed upon the slow advance of those
bobbing ears.

"Someone is coming," she said.

He glanced at her, marveling at the swift transition in her face. A
moment before she had been listless, sad, disheartened by his
apparent disapproval of her plans. Now all at once the cloud had
vanished; she was once more cheerful, calm, even smiling.

She too had been looking and had at once recognized the four persons
seated in the shabby old carryall which at that moment turned in at
the gate.

"I am to have visitors," she said tranquilly.

His eyes reluctantly followed hers. There were four women in the
approaching vehicle.

As on another occasion, the young man beat a swift retreat.