The charge, however, was so manifestly groundless that half a dozen persons stepped forward and entered protest; but the superintendent was so pig-headed that by the time he could be brought to reason, and the man was again at liberty to take his ticket and go down in the lift to the train, the platform was empty, the train gone, and Cleek already on his way. A swift, short flight under the earth's surface carried him to another station in quite another part of London; a swift, short walk thence landed him at his temporary lodgings in town, and four o'clock found him exchanging his workaday clothes for the regulation creased trousers and creaseless coat of masculine calling costume, and getting ready to spend the rest of the day with _her_. CHAPTER XXV The sky was all aflame with the glory of one of late June's gorgeous sunsets when he came up over the long sweep of meadowland and saw her straying about and gathering wild flowers to fill the vases in the wee house's wee little drawing-room, and singing to herself the while in a voice that was like honey--thin but very, very sweet--and at the sight something seemed to lay hold of his heart and quicken its beating until it interfered with his breathing, yet brought with it a curious sense of joy. "Good afternoon, Mistress of the Linnets!" he called out to her as he advanced (for she had neither seen nor heard his coming) with the big sheaf of roses he had brought held behind him and the bracken and kingcups smothering him in green and gold up to the very thighs. She turned at the sound, her face illumined, her soft eyes very bright--those wondrous eyes that had lit a man's way back from perdition and would light it onward and upward to the end--and greeted him with a smile of happy welcome. "Oh, it is you at last," she said, looking at him as a woman looks at but one man ever. "Is this your idea of 'spending the afternoon' with one, turning up when tea is over and twilight about to begin? Do you know, I am a very busy young woman these days"--blushing rosily--"and might have spent a whole day in town shopping but that Dollops brought me word that I might look for you? But, of course----No! I shan't say it. It might make you vain to hear that you had the power to spoil my day." "Not any vainer than you have made me by telling me other things," he retorted with a laugh. "I am afraid I have spoiled a good many days for you in my time, Ailsa. But, please God, I shall make up for them all in the brightness of the ones that are to come. I couldn't help being late to-day--I'll tell you all about that presently--but may I offer something in atonement? Please, will you add these to your bouquet and forgive me?" "Roses! Such beauties! How good of you! Just smell! How divine!"