into dry ground.  She had a vision of the wide rolling plain, black from sky’s rim to sky’s rim, and the moonlight pouring a futile splendour into its lap.  She moved with a quick and almost desperate run to the door, opened it, and leaned over the balustrade of the staircase.  The hall was empty and no sound of voices came from the library.  She stepped cautiously down the stairs; as she reached the last step the door of the library opened and Drake appeared on the threshold.

Clarice leaned against the wall, holding her hand to her heart.

‘Why, Clarice!’ he cried, and started towards her.

‘Hush!’ She tried to whisper the word, but her voice rose.  She thrust out a hand between herself and Drake, and cast a startled glance across his shoulder, expecting to see her father come forward smiling congratulations at her.  Drake caught the outstretched hand, and, setting an arm about her waist, drew her into the library.

‘I have not seen Mr. Le Mesurier,’ he said; ‘he’s out, I am afraid.’

The room was empty.  Clarice looked round it, doubting her eyes, and with a sudden revulsion of feeling dropped into a chair by the table and sat with her face buried in her arms in a flood of tears.

CHAPTER X

Drake bent over her, stroking her hair with a gentle helpless movement of his hand and occasionally varying his consolation by a pat on the shoulders.  The puffed sleeves of silk yielding under his touch gave him a queer impression of the girl’s fragility.

‘Oh don’t, child!’ he entreated.  ’It’s my fault for speaking so soon.  But really there’s nothing to fear—­nothing.  It’ll all come out right—­not a doubt of that.  You’ll see.’

Consolation of this kind did but make the tears flow yet more freely.  Drake perceived the fact and stood aside, wondering perplexedly at the reason.  The sound of each sob jerked at his heart; he began to walk restlessly about the room.  The storm, from its very violence, however, wore itself quickly out; the sobs became less convulsive, less frequent.  Clarice raised her head from her arms and stared out of the window opposite, with just now and then a little shiver and heave of her back.

Drake stopped his walk and advanced to her.  She anticipated his speech, turning with a start to face him.

‘You haven’t seen my father?’

’No; the servant told me he had gone out.  But I wrote a note saying I would call again this evening.  It is under your elbow.’

Clarice picked up the crumpled envelope and looked at it absently.

‘Stephen,’ she said, and she tripped upon the name, ’there’s something I ought to tell you—­now.  But it’s rather difficult.’

Drake walked to the window and stood with his back towards her.  She felt grateful to him for the action, and was a little surprised at the tact which had prompted it.

‘Yes?’ he said.