The duchess was at the piano, completely hidden from view by nearly the whole of her house party, crowding round in fits of delighted laughter. Ronnie had just broken through from the inmost circle to fetch an antimacassar; and Billy, to dash to the writing-table for a sheet of note-paper. Jane knew the note-paper meant a clerical dog collar, and she concluded something had been worn which resembled an antimacassar. She turned rather wearily and moved towards the door. Quiet and unobserved though her retreat had been, Garth was at the door before her. She did not know how he got there; for, as she turned to leave the room, she had seen his sleek head close to Myra Ingleby's on the further side of the duchess's crowd. He opened the door and Jane passed out. She felt equally desirous of saying two things to him,--either: "How dared you behave in so unconventional a way?" or: "Tell me just what you want me to do, and I will do it." She said neither. Garth followed her into the hall, lighted a candle, and threw the match at Tommy; then handed her the silver candlestick. He was looking absurdly happy. Jane felt annoyed with him for parading this gladness, which she had unwittingly caused and in which she had no share. Also she felt she must break this intimate silence. It was saying so much which ought not to be said, since it could not be spoken. She took her candle rather aggressively and turned upon the second step. "Good-night, Dal," she said. "And do you know that you are missing the curate?" He looked up at her. His eyes shone in the light of her candle. "No," he said. "I am neither missing nor missed. I was only waiting in there until you went up. I shall not go back. I am going out into the park now to breathe in the refreshing coolness of the night breeze. And I am going to stand under the oaks and tell my beads. I did not know I had a rosary, until to-night, but I have--I have!" "I should say you have a dozen," remarked Jane, dryly. "Then you would be wrong," replied Garth. "I have just one. But it has many hours. I shall be able to call them all to mind when I get out there alone. I am going to 'count each pearl.'" "How about the cross?" asked Jane. "I have not reached that yet," answered Garth. "There is no cross to my rosary." "I fear there is a cross to every true rosary, Dal," said Jane gently, "and I also fear it will go hard with you when you find yours." But Garth was confident and unafraid. "When I find mine," he said, "I hope I shall be able to"-- Involuntarily Jane looked at her hands. He saw the look and smiled, though he had the grace to colour beneath his tan,--"to FACE the cross," he said. Jane turned and began to mount the stairs; but Garth arrested her with an eager question. "Just one moment, Miss Champion! There is something I want to ask you. May I? Will you think me impertinent, presuming, inquisitive?"