PATCHES OF BLUE Elisabeth frowned a little as she perused the letter which she had that morning received from Sara.

It contained the information that rooms in her name had been booked at the Cliff Hotel, and further, that Sara was much disappointed that it would be impossible to arrange for her to meet Garth Trent, as he was leaving home on the Wednesday prior to her arrival.
Trent's departure was the last thing Elisabeth desired.

Above all things, she wanted to meet the man whom she regarded as the stumbling-block in the path of her son, for if it were possible that anything might yet be done to further the desire of Tim's heart, it could only be if Elisabeth, as the _dea ex machina_, were acquainted with all the pieces in the game.
She must know what manner of man it was who had succeeded in winning Sara's heart before she could hope to combat his influence, and, if the feet of clay were there, she must see them herself before she could point them out to Sara's love-illusioned eyes.

Should she fail of making Trent's acquaintance, she would be fighting in the dark.
Elisabeth pondered the matter for some time.

Finally, she dispatched a telegram, prepaying a reply, to the proprietor of the Cliff Hotel, and a few hours later she announced to her husband that she proposed antedating her visit to Monkshaven by three days.
"I shall go down the day after to-morrow--on Monday," she said.
"Then I'd better send a wire to Sara," suggested Geoffrey.
"No, don't do that.