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She laughed a little nervously. He was not without audacity, notwithstanding his quiet manner.

“You can cross if you like,” she said. “But it’s all private property.”

He paused, looking at her intently.

“It belongs to Earl Raffold, I have been told?”

She bent her head, and her answer leapt out with an ease that astonished her. She felt it to be an inspiration.

“It does. But the family are in town for the season. I am staying with the housekeeper. She is allowed to have her friends when the family are away.”

It was rather breathlessly spoken, but he did not seem to notice.

“I see,” he said. “Then one more or less can’t make much difference.”

With the words he took a single stride forward and bounded into the air. He landed lightly almost at her feet, and Romeo sprang up with an outraged snarl. It choked in his throat almost instantly, however, for the stranger laid a restraining hand upon him, and spoke with soothing self-assurance.

“It’s an evil brute that kills a friend, eh, old fellow? You couldn’t do it if you tried.”

Romeo’s countenance changed magically. He turned his hostility into an ardent welcome, and the girl at his side laughed again rather tremulously.

“It’s a good thing you weren’t afraid. I couldn’t have held him.”

“I saw that,” said the Southerner, speaking softly, his face on a level with the great head he was caressing. “But I knew it would be all right. You see, I–kind of like dogs.”

He turned to her after a moment, a faintly quizzical expression about his eyes.

“I won’t intrude upon you,” he said. “I can go and trespass elsewhere, you know.”

Priscilla was not as a rule reckless. A long training in her stepmother’s school had made her cautious and far-seeing in all things social. She knew exactly the risk that lay in unconventionality. But, then, had she not fled from town to lead a free life? Why should she submit to the old, galling chain here in this golden world where its restraint was not known? Her whole being rose up in revolt at the bare idea, and suddenly, passionately, she decided to break free. Even the flowers had their day of riotous, splendid life. She would have hers, wherever its enjoyment might lead her, whatever it might cost!

And so she answered him with a lack of reserve at which her London friends would have marvelled.

“You don’t intrude at all. If you have come to see the Abbey, I should advise you to wait till after six o’clock.”

“When it will be closed to the public?” he questioned, still looking quizzical.

She looked up at him, for the first time deliberately meeting his eyes. Yes it was plain that he did not know her; but on the whole she was glad, it made things easier. She had been so foolish and hysterical upon that far-off day when he had saved her life.

“I will take you over it myself, if you care to accept my guidance,” she said, “after the crowd have gone.”

He glanced at his watch.

“And you are prepared to tolerate my society till six?” he said. “That is very generous of you.”

She smiled, with a touch of wistfulness.

“Perhaps I don’t find my own very inspiring.”

He raised his eyebrows, but made no comment.

“Perhaps I had better tell you my name,” he said, after a pause. “I am in a fashion connected with this place–a sort of friend of the family, if it isn’t presumption to put it that way. My name is Julian Carfax, and Ralph Cochrane, the next-of-kin, is a pal of mine, a very great pal. He was coming over to England. Perhaps you heard. But he’s a very shy fellow, and almost at the last moment he decided not to face it at present. I was coming over, so I undertook to explain. I spoke to Lady Raffold in town over the telephone, and told her. She seemed to be rather affronted, for some reason. Possibly it was my fault. I’m not much of a diplomatist, anyway.”