languished and at length Miss Craven gave it up, with a wry face,
and sat also silent, drumming with her fingers on the arm of the
chair. Her thoughts, in quest of his, wandered far away until the
sudden ringing of the telephone beside her made her jump
violently.

She answered the call, then handed the receiver to Craven.

"Your heathen," she remarked dryly.

Though the least insular of women she had never grown accustomed
to the Japanese valet. He turned from the telephone with a look of
mingled embarrassment and relief.

"I sent a message to the convent this morning. Yoshio has just
given me the answer. The Mother Superior will see me this
afternoon." He endeavoured to make his voice indifferent, pulling
down his waistcoat and picking a minute thread from off his coat
sleeve. Miss Craven's mouth twitched at the evident signs of
nervousness while she glanced at him narrowly. Prompt action in
the matter of an uncongenial duty had not hitherto been a
conspicuous trait in his character.

"You are certainly not letting the grass grow under your feet."

He jerked his head impatiently.

"Waiting will not make the job more pleasant," he shrugged. "I
will see the child at once and arrange for her removal as soon as
possible."