Anna the Adventuress

There was genuine interest in her eyes now. Sir John saw it, and was

flattered.

"You are Sir John Ferringhall," she repeated. "Yes, I remember you

now. You were pointed out to me at--a few nights ago."

He was not in the least surprised. A millionaire and a knight, even

though his money has been made in carpets, is used to being a person

of interest.

"Very likely," he answered. "I am fairly well known here. I must

apologize, I suppose, for speaking to you, but your appearance

certainly indicated that you were in some sort of trouble, and you

were becoming--pardon me--an object of comment to the passers-by."

The girl sat up and looked at him with a curious twist at the corners

of her mouth--humorous or pathetic, he could not tell which. As though

accidentally she swept her skirts from a chair close drawn to her own.

Sir John hesitated. She was marvellously pretty, but he was not quite

sure--yet--that it was advisable for him to sit with her in so public

a place. His inclinations prompted him most decidedly to take the

vacant chair. Prudence reminded him that he was a county magistrate,

and parliamentary candidate for a somewhat difficult borough, where

his principal supporters were dissenters of strict principles who took

a zealous interest in his moral character. He temporized, and the girl

raised her eyes once more to his.

"You are the Sir John Ferringhall who has bought the Lyndmore estate,

are you not?" she remarked. "My father's sisters used once to live in

the old manor house. I believe you have had it pulled down, have you

not?"

"The Misses Pellissier!" he exclaimed. "Then your name----"

"My name is Pellissier. My father was Colonel Pellissier. He had an

appointment in Jersey, you know, after he left the army."

Sir John did not hesitate any longer. He sat down.

"Upon my word," he exclaimed, "this is most extraordinary. I----"

Then he stopped short, for he began to remember things. He was not

quite sure whether, after all, he had been wise. He would have risen

again, but for the significance of the action.

"Dear me!" he said. "Then some of your family history is known to me.

One of your aunts died, I believe, and the other removed to London."

The girl nodded.

"She is living there now," she remarked.

"Your father is dead too, I believe," he continued, "and your mother."