There were but two people in the room. One was Mrs. Maule; she was sitting on a low seat close to the fire, her lovely head bent over an embroidery frame; the other, General Lingard, was standing, looking down at her with an eager, absorbed expression on his face. Athena was wearing a white gown, fashioned rather like a monk's habit. It left the slender, rounded column of her neck bare. The intruder, feeling at once relieved and disappointed, stared doubtfully at the famous soldier. General Lingard looked a younger man than he had done the other night--younger and somehow different, far, far more vividly alive. Perhaps it was his clothes; rough morning clothes are more becoming to the type of man Wantele now took Lingard to be than is evening dress. Both he and Mrs. Maule looked most happily and intimately at ease. Wantele felt a pang of angry irritation. How like Athena to take General Lingard away from Jane! And to keep him with her while her friend was doubtless engaged in doing what should have been her own job--that is, in looking after Richard. But many years had gone by since Athena had even made a pretence of looking after Richard. Had Wantele been just, which he was at this moment incapable of being, he would have admitted to himself that Richard would have given Athena small thanks for her company. "Dick! Is that you? Why, I thought you weren't coming back till the afternoon! Have you seen Richard?" Athena had a subtle way with her of making a man feel an intruder. But Wantele held his ground. "I always meant to come back in the morning," he said shortly. "No, I haven't seen Richard." "I'm glad you've come, for Richard's worried about some tiresome letters he's had this morning." "Is Jane with Richard?" he asked abruptly. It was odd of General Lingard not to have come forward and shaken hands. The soldier had just nodded--that was all. He also seemed to feel the young man's presence an intrusion. "Jane hasn't come. Didn't you know? I thought she would have written to you. She is staying a week longer with that tiresome friend of hers. There's to be an operation now, it seems, and the woman's implored Jane to stay with her till it's over. Oh, but ever so many things have happened----" Athena put aside her work and got up. "The poor Paches have had a motor accident, and so we--I mean Richard and I--asked General Lingard to come here at once instead of waiting till the end of the week. I'm afraid he's had rather a dull time, though the Paches have very kindly allowed us to use their motor car--the car wasn't hurt in any way--" she turned to her guest and smiled. "But now that you're back, Dick, it will be all right." She sat down again, and again bent over the embroidery frame. Each of the men looking down at her felt himself dismissed. Together they left the room, and Dick Wantele could have laughed aloud to see General Lingard's air of discomfiture.