Major Biddell felt very much relieved. For a horrible moment he had supposed, not unnaturally, that the man who had just administered so sharp a rebuke to him was nearly related to Mrs. Maule. He had at once realized that the speaker was a member of the profession he had once adorned, nay more, he was uncomfortably aware that the man's dark face had been seen by him before. The unpleasant stranger was eccentric--to say the least of it. But of course there are such men in the world--Major Biddell thanked God he hadn't hitherto met many such--who go through life breaking lances for the sex. The little scene was over in a very few moments, and, after one quick look round, the woman who sat in the furthest corner had apparently taken no interest in what was going on. Her face was turned away. She was staring out of the narrow window. Major Biddell, glancing at her apprehensively, could only see her slim, straight back, and the veil twisted round her small hat hiding the dark shining coils of hair. The train began to slow down. The two ladies got up with an air of rather ostentatious relief. Major Biddell opened the door and jumped out. He carefully helped his companions down the high steps. As all three moved away, Lady Barking's sonorous voice could be heard saying, "I should think that man was mad!" "Oh no, he wasn't, mother," said her daughter loudly. "He's an adorer of the lady--that's what it is. I expect he's on his way to stay there now!" "But they never have any visitors at Rede Place except that Miss Oglander." The train moved on. To the woman sitting in the corner the atmosphere of the railway carriage was still charged with a not unpleasing electricity. Very deliberately she raised her veil and subjected the man sitting opposite to a long, thoughtful scrutiny. She raked her memory in vain for the strongly-drawn dark face, the large, loosely-made figure. Suddenly he raised his eyes and met her full, considering glance. No, they had never met before. No man who had ever known Athena Maule, even for only a brief space of time, would look into her lovely, mobile face, meet the peculiar glance of her large heavy-lidded violet eyes, as this stranger was now doing, coldly, unchallengingly. Mrs. Maule reddened, and hurriedly pulled down her veil. She felt--and it was a disconcerting sensation--as if she had been snubbed. CHAPTER III "The world is oft to treason not unkind, But ne'er the traitor can admirers find." It was the evening of the same day. Two men were sitting together in what was called the Greek Room by the household of Rede Place.