“There is such a thing as going too fast,” commented Bunny.

“There is such a thing as getting away altogether,” flung back Toby with spirit.

Bunny’s eyes flashed into sudden, ominous flame.  He could not have said why the contrast between the two girls—­the one in her dainty summer attire and the other in her boyish riding-kit—­had such an effect upon him, but for the moment it almost infuriated him.

Toby saw it, and her own eyes lit in response.  She stood waiting for his rejoinder—­the spirit of mischief incarnate, wary, alert, daring him.

But Bunny did not speak in answer.  He drew in a hard breath through teeth that gripped his lower lip, and restrained himself.  The next instant he had turned away.

“Oh, damn!” said Toby, and swung upon her heel.

Saltash and the General walked beside her, rallying her.  But Bunny and Sheila came behind in silence.

CHAPTER XII

THE ALLY

They found Maud awaiting them in the long low room that overlooked her favourite view of the down.  Saltash entered as one who had the right, and she greeted him with momentary surprise but evident pleasure.

“I couldn’t spend twenty-four hours at Burchester without calling upon you,” he said.

“You know you are always welcome,” she made answer, with the smile which only her intimate friends ever saw.

They sat down by one of the wide French windows and General Melrose began to occupy his hostess’s attention.  Sheila took a chair that Bunny pushed forward, and Saltash glanced round for Toby.  She was sitting on the end of a couch, playing with the silky ears of the old red setter.  Her hat was flung down beside her; her pretty face downcast.  He crossed to her deliberately and bent also to fondle the dog.

She started slightly at his coming, and a faint flush rose in her cheeks; but she neither glanced at him nor spoke.

For the moment they were alone, unobserved by the laughing group at the window.  Saltash bent suddenly lower.  His quick whisper came down to her: 

“Go and put on the most girlish thing you’ve got!”

She looked up at him then, her blue eyes seeking his.  A rapid flash of understanding passed between them.  Then, without a word she rose.

When Maud looked round for her a few seconds later, Saltash was lounging alone against the sofa-head pulling Chops absently by the ear while he stared before him out of the window in a fit of abstraction that seemed to her unusual.

She called to him to join them at the tea-table, and he jerked himself to his feet and came across to her with the monkeyish grin on his face that she had learned long since to regard as the shield wherewith he masked his soul.

He sat down by her side, devoting himself to her with the gallantry that always characterized him when with her.  No one seemed to notice that Toby had disappeared.  They talked about the horses, about Jake and his recent victories, about the season at Fairharbour, about the Melroses’ plans for the winter.