* * * * * A week later two people were walking slowly along the downs overlooking the sea. They had walked for a mile in complete silence, then suddenly Odette Rider said: "I get very easily tired. Let us sit down." Tarling obediently sunk down by her side. "I read in the newspapers this morning, Mr. Tarling," she said, "that you have sold Lyne's Store." "That's true," said Tarling. "There are very many reasons why I do not want to go into the business, or stay in London." She did not look at him, but played with the blades of grass she had plucked. "Are you going abroad?" she asked. "We are," said Tarling. "We?" she looked at him in surprise. "Who are we?" "I am referring to myself and a girl to whom I made violent love at Hertford," said Tarling, and she dropped her eyes. "I think you were sorry for me," she said, "and you were rather led into your wild declaration of--of----" "Love?" suggested Tarling. "That's the word," she replied with a little smile. "You were led to say what you did because of my hopeless plight." "I was led to say what I did," said Tarling, "because I loved you." "Where are you--we--going?" she asked awkwardly. "To South America," said Tarling, "for a few months. Then afterwards to my well-beloved China for the cool season." "Why to South America?" asked the girl. "Because," said Tarling, "I was reading an article on horticulture in this morning's papers and I learnt that daffodils do not grow in the Argentine." * * * * * POPULAR NOVELS BY EDGAR WALLACE Published by Ward, Lock & Co., Limited. _In Various Editions_ SANDERS OF THE RIVER BONES BOSAMBO OF THE RIVER BONES IN LONDON THE KEEPERS OF THE KING'S PEACE THE COUNCIL OF JUSTICE THE DUKE IN THE SUBURBS THE PEOPLE OF THE RIVER DOWN UNDER DONOVAN PRIVATE SELBY THE ADMIRABLE CARFEW THE MAN WHO BOUGHT LONDON THE JUST MEN OF CORDOVA THE SECRET HOUSE KATE, PLUS TEN LIEUTENANT BONES THE ADVENTURES OF HEINE JACK O' JUDGMENT THE DAFFODIL MYSTERY THE NINE BEARS THE BOOK OF ALL POWER MR. JUSTICE MAXELL THE BOOKS OF BART THE DARK EYES OF LONDON CHICK SANDI, THE KING-MAKER THE THREE OAK MYSTERY THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE FROG BLUE HAND GREY TIMOTHY A DEBT DISCHARGED THOSE FOLK OF BULBORO THE MAN WHO WAS NOBODY THE GREEN RUST THE FOURTH PLAGUE THE RIVER OF STARS