I awoke to find my chamber full of the glow of evening; through the open lattice breathed an air sweet with a perfume of flowers; borne to my drowsy hearing stole a mingling of soothing, homely sounds, the snort of a horse from the stable, the clucking of hens, the faint rattle of a pail, to all of which peaceful sounds I hearkened in lazy content and with no desire to move. Vaguely, at the back of my mind, was a memory of some trouble now forgotten, nor did I seek to remember, content to stare out upon this summer evening; nor did I trouble to move even at the opening of the door and thus presently was aware of Anthony bending over me. "Why, Perry, are you awake at last? How are you, old fellow?" "Very well, Anthony," I answered, vaguely surprised to hear my voice so far off, as it were. "Very comfortable, Tony, only--a little weary--" "And no wonder, Perry, here you've lain raving all last night and most of to-day." "Raving, Tony?" "Aye--all about some damned postchaise or other with red wheels." "Postchaise?" said I, wondering. "Postchaise? How long have I lain here?" "This will be the fourth day, Peregrine." "Four days!" said I. "Impossible!" "I rode down yesterday on the off-chance of finding you here--and here you were, begad, raging in fever and cursing and swearing very creditably, 'pon my soul! And all George could do to hold you down--" "I'm better now, Anthony--get up to-morrow--" "For which God be thanked!" said he fervently, and seating himself upon the bed, he grasped my hand. "Peregrine," said he solemnly, "you have honoured me with your friendship and as your friend I make bold to offer you a friend's advice,--in heaven's name, old fellow, be more discreet!" "In what particular, Anthony?" "There is but one, Perry--only one, dear fellow, and spelt with five letters--woman." "You grow cryptic, Anthony." "My dear Perry," said he, beginning to fidget with his stock, "my very dear fellow, as may be supposed, your extraordinary sudden and perfectly inexplicable flight from Wyvelstoke's reception and disappearance has caused no small consternation, and, to one person in particular, very much grief and anxiety. Under these distressing circumstances, I, as your friend, sought an answer to the riddle, the--the reason for your--very mysterious disappearance, and naturally arrive at the conclusion that it is a case of--er--_cherchez la femme_, Perry--" "The devil you did!" exclaimed I. "I haunted all the clubs, Perry, and with your uncles made discreet enquiry for you in every likely and unlikely quarter--yesterday, as a last possibility, I rode down here and learned from George how you came staggering in at dawn, plastered with mud, wet to the skin and accompanied by the lady who, I may inform you, had the good judgment to disappear as soon as possible--" "The lady," said I, trembling and indignant, "was a poor distracted creature I found on my way--"