Then the period of inaction turned into a desire to learn more deeply of the beauties which the tourist never sees, and they poked through the narrow "tribal" lanes and unfrequented roads on foot, on bicycles, or _en voiture_, searching for the unexpected, and finding rich rewards at the end of every quest. It was one of these expeditions which led them to the highest rise of Spanish Point, where they stopped their carriage before the entrance to a private estate, within the walls of which they saw evidences of what the hand of man can do in supplementing Nature's work. Presently Stevens could be seen coming toward them, waving his hat as a signal for their advance. The driver turned in through the gateway. "He's a mighty decent sort," Stevens announced as he met the approaching vehicle. "Can't make out whether he's English or American, but he offered no objections whatever." "There!" Marian cried triumphantly; "of course he feels complimented! If his grounds were merely the commonplace no one would want to disturb his 'privacy,' as Harry calls it. Did you ever see such a spot?" "Wonderful!" echoed Edith, equally impressed by the luxuriant bloom on either side of the driveway. "Thank Heaven here is a man who knows how not to vulgarize flowers." As they reached the front of the coraline stone house the owner stepped forward to greet them. He was a man of striking appearance, and his visitors found their attention at once diverted from the beauty surrounding them to the personality which manifested itself even in this brief moment of their meeting. He was fairly tall, but slight, the narrowness of his face being accentuated by the closely-cropped beard. As he removed his broad panama he disclosed a heavy head of hair, well turned to grey, which, with the darkness of his complexion, was set off by the white doe-skin suit he wore. As he came nearer his visitors were instinctively impressed by the expression of his face, for the high forehead, the deep, restless, yet penetrating eyes, the refined yet unsatisfied lines of the mouth, belonged to the ascetic rather than to the cottager, to the spiritual seeker for the unattainable rather than to the owner of an estate such as this. "I am glad you discounted my apparent inhospitality," he said, with pleasant dignity. "The tourists would overrun me if I did not take some such measure to protect myself; but I am always glad to welcome any one whose interest is more than curiosity." "It is good of you to make a virtue out of our presumption," Marian replied as their host assisted them to alight. Then their eyes met and there was instant recognition. "Philip!" she cried in utter amazement. "Is it possible that this is you--here?"