The Mystery of the Downs | Page 9

discovery of the man's dead body was as great a
surprise to you as it was to me."
"Thank you," she said. The emphasis of his declaration imparted a
quiver to her expression of gratitude. "You are quite right about my
expecting to see some one else when I opened the door," she said. "I
expected to see Mr. Lumsden."
"Oh, I beg your pardon. I never thought of that." He flushed at the way
in which her simple explanation had convicted him of having
harboured unjust suspicions against her.
"I went to the farm to see him--I had a message for him," she continued,

with seeming candour. "The storm came on just before I reached the
house. I knocked, but no one came, and then I noticed the key was in
the lock on the outside of the door. Naturally I thought Mr. Lumsden
had left it there--that when he saw the storm he had gone to the stable
or cowshed to attend to a horse or a cow. I went inside the house,
expecting he would be back every moment. When I heard your knock I
thought it was he."
"I am afraid you must think me a dreadful boor," he said. "I apologize
most humbly."
She replied with a breadth of view that in its contrast with his
ungenerous suspicions added to his embarrassment.
"No, you were quite right," she said. "As I asked you to keep my name
out of it--as I virtually asked you to show blind trust in me--you were at
least entitled to the fullest explanation of how I came to be there."
"And I hope you quite understand that I do trust you absolutely," he
said. "I know as well as it is possible to know anything in this world
that you were not connected in the remotest way with the death of this
man."
Having been lifted out of the atmosphere of suspicion, she felt she
could safely enter it again.
"I was not quite candid with you when I asked you to keep me out of
the dreadful tragedy because of the way I would be talked about," she
said, placing a penitent and appealing hand on his arm. "There are other
reasons--one other reason at least--why I do not want it known I was at
Cliff Farm to-night."
He was prepared to shield her if she was prepared to take the risk of
being shielded.
"That alters the case," he said. "My reluctance to keep your name out of
it arose from the fear that you did not realize the risk you would run."

"I realize it," she said. "And I wish to thank you for pointing it out so
clearly. But it is a risk I must take."
"In that case you can rely on me."
"You will keep my name out of it?" she asked.
"I will tell no one," he replied.
CHAPTER III
"It seems to me as if the storm is abating," said Sir George Granville to
his week-end guest.
He moved a piece on the chess-board and then got up from his chair
and went to the window to listen to the rain on the glass.
His guest was so intent on the chess-board that he did not reply. Sir
George Granville remained at the window, his attention divided
between watching for his opponent's next move and listening to the
storm.
Sir George's opponent was a young man; that is to say, he was under
forty. He was evidently tall, and his well-cut clothes indicated that he
possessed the well-built frame which is the natural heritage of most
young Englishmen of good class. But his clear-cut, clean-shaven face
suggested that its owner was a man of unusual personality and force of
character. It was a remarkable face which would have puzzled the
student in physiognomy. The upper portion was purely intellectual in
type, the forehead broad, and the head well-shaped, but the dark eyes,
with a touch of dreaminess and sadness in their depths, contrasted
strangely with the energy and determination indicated by the firm
mouth and heavy lower jaw.
The guest moved a piece and then looked at his host.
"You are not yourself to-night, Sir George," he said. "I think we had
better finish this game some other time, or cancel it."

Sir George walked over to the table and looked at the position on the
chess-board.
"Perhaps it would be better to cancel it," he said, "though it is generous
on your part to offer to do so, with a piece to the good and the
threatening development of your pawns on the queen's side. But I am
off my game to-night. I am too worried about that nephew of mine to
give you a good game."
"It is a bad night to be