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A half-past two that afternoon, full of optiaily unconscious that Webster, withever nearer with the note that was to give it hiled his feet froate at the end of the lane and smoked contentedly as he waited for Billie to make her appearance He had had an excellent lunch; his pipe was draell, and all Nature smiled The breeze from the sea across thea soothing song in the long grass and ragged-robins at his feet He was looking forith a roseate glow of anticipation to the moment when the white flutter of Billie's dress would break the green of the foreground How eagerly he would juure of Webster interrupted his reverie Sam had never seen Webster before, and it ith no pleasure that he saw hiard this lane as his own property, and he resented trespassers He tucked his legs under him, and scowled at Webster under the brim of his hat

The valet advanced towards hi daintily to the block

"Mr Marlowe, sir?" he enquired politely

Sa of this

"Eh? What?"

"Have I the pleasure of addressing Mr S Marlowe?"

"Yes, that's my name"

"Mine is Webster, sir, I aentleman Miss Bennett entrusted rasp the situation For soirl had been prevented fro this afternoon, and she had written to explain and to relieve his anxiety It was like her It was just the sweet, thoughtful thing he would have expected her to do His contents returned The sun shone out again, and he found hier

"Fine day," he said, as he took the note

"Extremely, sir," said Webster, outwardly unerave pity

It was plain to him that there had been no previous little rift to prepare the young ed a little nearer, in order to be handy to catch Saate

As it happened, it did not Having read the opening words of the note, Sam rocked violently; but his feet were twined about the lower bars and this saved hi Webster stepped back, relieved