Strelsa in the library, pulling on her gloves, was silent witness to a pantomime unmistakable; but her pretty lips merely pressed each other tighter, and she sauntered out, crop under one arm, with a careless greeting to Langly. He came up offering his hand and she took it, then stood a moment in desultory conversation, facing the others so as to include Quarren. [Illustration: "Strelsa in the library, pulling on her gloves, was silent witness to a pantomime unmistakable."] "I thought I overheard you say to Molly that you were going back to town this afternoon," she remarked, casting a brief glance in his direction. "I think I'd better go," he said, pleasantly. "A matter of business I suppose?" eyebrows slightly lifted. "In a way. Dankmere is alone, poor fellow." Molly laughed: "It is not good for man to be alone." Sprowl said: "There's a housemaid in my employ--she's saved something I understand. You might notify Dankmere--" he half wheeled toward Quarren, eyes slightly bulging without a shadow of expression on his sleek, narrow face. Molly flushed; Quarren glanced at Sprowl, amazed at his insolence out of a clear sky. "What?" he said slowly--then stepped back a pace as Strelsa passed close in front of him, apparently perfectly unconscious of any discord: "Will you get me a lump of sugar, Mr. Quarren? My mare must be pampered or she'll start that jiggling Kentucky amble and never walk one step." Quarren swung on his heel and entered the house; Molly, ignoring Strelsa, turned sharply on Sprowl: "If you are insolent to my guests you need not come here," she said briefly. Langly's restless eyes protruded; he glanced from Molly to Strelsa, then his indifferent gaze wandered over the landscape. It was plain that the rebuke had not made the slightest impression. Molly looked angrily at Strelsa, but the latter, eyes averted, was gazing at her horse. And when Quarren came back with a handful of sugar she took it and, descending the steps, fed it, lump by lump to the two horses. Langly put her up, shouldered aside the groom, and adjusted heel-loop and habit-loop. Then he mounted, saluted Molly and followed Strelsa at a canter without even noticing his bridle. "What have you done to Langly?" asked Molly. "Characterised his bad manners the other day. It wasn't worth while; there's no money in cursing.... And I think, Molly dear, that I'll take an afternoon train----" "I won't let you," said his hostess. "I won't have you treated that way under my roof----" "It was outdoors, dear lady," said Quarren, smiling. "It's only his rudeness before you that I mind. Where is Sir Charles?" "Off with Chrysos somewhere on the river--there's their motor-launch, now.... Ricky!" "Yes." "I'm angry all through.... Strelsa might have said something--showed her lack of sympathy for Langly's remark by being a little more cordial to you.... I don't like it in her. I don't know whether I am going to like that girl or not----"