He bathed, dressed again, dully uneasy in the garments of yesterday, uncomfortable for lack of fresh linen and toilet requisites; little things indeed to add such undue weight to his depression. And only yesterday he had laughed at inconvenience and had still found charm to thrill him in the happy unconventionality of that day and night. Connor was already weeding in the garden when he went out; and the dull surprise in the Irishman's sunburnt visage sent a swift and painful colour into his own pallid face. "Miss Greensleeve was kind enough to put me up last night," he said briefly. Connor stood silent, slowly combing the soil from the claw of his weeder with work-worn fingers. Clive said: "Since I have been coming down here to watch the progress on Miss Greensleeve's house have you happened to notice any strangers hanging about the grounds?" Connor's grey eyes narrowed and became fixed on nothing. Presently he nodded to himself: "There was inquiries made, sorr, I'm minded now that ye mention it." "About me?" "Yes, sorr. There was strangers askin' f'r to know was it you that owns the house or what." "What was said?" "I axed them would they chase themselves,--it being none o' their business. 'Twas no satisfaction they had of me, Misther Bailey, sorr." "Who were they, Connor?" "I just disremember now. Maybe there was a big wan and a little wan.... Yes, sorr; there was two of them hangin' about on and off these six weeks past, like they was minded to take a job and then again not minded. Sure there was the two o' thim, now I think of it. Wan was big and thin and wan was a little scutt wid a big nose." Clive nodded: "Keep them off the place, Connor. Keep all strangers outside. Miss Greensleeve will be here for several days alone and she must not be annoyed." "Divil a bit, sorr." "I want you and Mrs. Connor to sleep in the house for the present. And I do not wish you to answer any questions from anybody concerning either Miss Greensleeve or myself. Can I depend on you?" "You can, sorr." "I'm sure of it. Now, I'd like to have you go to the village and buy me something to shave with and to comb my hair with. I had not intended to remain here over night, but I did not care to leave Miss Greensleeve entirely alone in the house." "Sure, sorr, Jenny was fixed f'r to stay--" "I know. Miss Greensleeve told her she might go home. It was a misunderstanding. But I want her to remain hereafter until Miss Greensleeve's servants come from New York." So Connor went away to the village and Clive seated himself on a garden bench to wait. Nothing stirred inside the house; the shades in Athalie's room remained lowered. He watched the chimney swifts soaring and darting above the house. A faint dun-coloured haze crowned the kitchen chimney. Mrs. Connor was already busy over their breakfast. [Illustration: "Clive nodded: 'Keep them off the place, Connor.'"]