What did it all then amount to? Mrs. Horniblow's logic failed. "All eyes"--and very lovely ones at that--Damaris might be; yet her tranquillity and serenity appeared beyond question. Must thrilling mystery be voted no more than a mare's-nest?--Only, did not the fact remain that James had refused to commit himself either way, thereby naturally landing himself in affirmation up to the neck? She gave it up. But, even in the giving up, could not resist probing just a little. The two gentlemen were out of earshot, standing near the glass door.--How James' black, bow-windowed figure and the fixed red in his clean-shaven, slightly pendulous cheeks, did show up to be sure, in the light!--Unprofitable gift of observation, for possession of which she so frequently had cause to reproach herself.-- "You still look a little run down and pale, my dear," she said. "It isn't for me to advise, but wouldn't a change of air and scene be good, don't you think?" Damaris assured her not--in any case not yet. Later, after Christmas, she and her father might very likely go abroad. But till then they had a full programme of guests. "Colonel Carteret comes to us next week; and my aunt Felicia always likes to be here in November. She enjoys that month at the seaside, finding it, she says, so poetic." Damaris smiled, her eyes at once, and more than ever, eloquent and unfathomable. "And I learned only this morning an old Anglo-Indian friend of ours, Mrs. Mackinder, whom I should be quite dreadfully sorry to miss, is spending the autumn at Stourmouth." Mrs. Horniblow permitted herself a dash. "At Stourmouth--yes?" she ventured. "That reminds me. I hear--how far the information is correct I cannot pretend to say--that kind little person, Miss Bilson, has been there with Miss Verity this last week. I observed we had not met her in the village just lately. I hope you have good news of her. When is she expected back?" Without hesitation or agitation came the counter-stroke. "I don't know," Damaris answered. "Her plans, I believe, are uncertain at present. You and Dr. Horniblow will stay to tea with us, won't you?"--this charmingly. "It will be here in a very few minutes--I can ring for it at once."