"Let me always do this for you, then. It will be a pleasure, madam." And
Miss Muir came back to her seat with a faint color in her cheek which
improved her much.

"My brother asked if young Sydney was at home when you left," said
Edward, for Gerald would not take the trouble to repeat the question.

Miss Muir fixed her eyes on Coventry, and answered with a slight tremor
of the lips, "No, he left home some weeks ago."

The young man went back to his cousin, saying, as he threw himself
down beside her, "I shall not go tomorrow, but wait till the three
days are out."

"Why?" demanded Lucia.

Lowering his voice he said, with a significant nod toward the governess,
"Because I have a fancy that she is at the bottom of Sydney's mystery.
He's not been himself lately, and now he is gone without a word. I
rather like romances in real life, if they are not too long, or
difficult to read."

"Do you think her pretty?"

"Far from it, a most uncanny little specimen."

"Then why fancy Sydney loves her?"

"He is an oddity, and likes sensations and things of that sort."