"But I do not think everybody would have such a good opinion." They both started, and their hands fell asunder as a shadow darkened the room, and Sir Philip stood before them.
"Excuse me!" he said stiffly, lifting his hat with ceremonious politeness.

"I ought to have knocked at the door--I--" "Why ?" asked Thelma, raising her eyebrows in surprise.
"Yes--why indeed ?" echoed Lorimer, with a frank look at his friend.
"I am afraid,"-- and for once the generally good-humored Errington looked positively petulant--"I am afraid I interrupted a pleasant conversation!" And he gave a little forced laugh of feigned amusement, but evident vexation.
"And if it was pleasant, shall you not make it still more so ?" asked Thelma, with timid and bewitching sweetness, though her heart beat very fast,--she was anxious.

Why was Sir Philip so cold and distant?
He looked at her, and his pent-up passion leaped to his eyes and filled them with a glowing and fiery tenderness,--her head drooped suddenly, and she turned quickly, to avoid that searching, longing gaze.

Lorimer glanced from one to the other with, a slight feeling of amusement.
"Well Phil," he inquired lazily, "how did you get here so soon?
You must have glided into the garden like a ghost, for I never heard you coming." "So I imagine!" retorted Errington, with, an effort to be sarcastic, in which he utterly failed as he met his friend's eyes,--then after a slight and somewhat embarrassed pause he added more mildly! "Duprez cannot get on very fast,--his wound still bleeds, and he feels rather faint now and then.

I don't think we bandaged him up properly, and I came on to see if Britta could prepare something for him." "But you will not need to ask Britta," said Thelma quietly, with a pretty air of authority, "for I shall myself do all for Mr.Duprez.