Athalie

Clive nodded: "Keep them off the place, Connor. Keep all strangers

outside. Miss Greensleeve will be here for several days alone and she

must not be annoyed."

"Divil a bit, sorr."

"I want you and Mrs. Connor to sleep in the house for the present. And

I do not wish you to answer any questions from anybody concerning

either Miss Greensleeve or myself. Can I depend on you?"

"You can, sorr."

"I'm sure of it. Now, I'd like to have you go to the village and buy

me something to shave with and to comb my hair with. I had not

intended to remain here over night, but I did not care to leave Miss

Greensleeve entirely alone in the house."

"Sure, sorr, Jenny was fixed f'r to stay--"

"I know. Miss Greensleeve told her she might go home. It was a

misunderstanding. But I want her to remain hereafter until Miss

Greensleeve's servants come from New York."

So Connor went away to the village and Clive seated himself on a

garden bench to wait.

Nothing stirred inside the house; the shades in Athalie's room

remained lowered.

He watched the chimney swifts soaring and darting above the house. A

faint dun-coloured haze crowned the kitchen chimney. Mrs. Connor was

already busy over their breakfast.

[Illustration: "Clive nodded: 'Keep them off the place, Connor.'"] When the gardener returned with the purchases Clive went to his room

again and remained there busy until a knock on the door and Mrs.

Connor's hearty voice announced breakfast.

As he stepped out into the passage-way he met Athalie coming from her

room in a soft morning negligee, and still yawning.

She bade him good morning in a sweet, sleepy voice, linked her white,

lace-clouded arm in his, glanced sideways at him, humorously ashamed: "I'm a disgrace," she said; "I could have slain Mrs. Connor when she

woke me. Oh, Clive, I am so sleepy!"

"Why did you get up?"

"My dear, I'm also hungry; that is why. I could scent the coffee from

afar. And you know, Clive, if you ever wish to hopelessly alienate my

affections, you have only to deprive me of my breakfast. Tell me, did

you get any sleep?"

He forced a smile: "I had sufficient."

"I wonder," she mused, looking at his somewhat haggard features.

They found the table prepared for them in the sun-parlour; Athalie

presided at the coffee urn, but became a trifle flushed and shy when

Mrs. Connor came in bearing a smoking cereal.