"Tuck's an inhuman old creature, isn't he, Mrs. Falkener?" Crane went on. "I don't believe he ever had a natural impulse in his life, and so he has no sympathy with the impulses of others." Tucker smiled quietly. It came to him that just so the iron reserve of the middle-aged hero was often misinterpreted during the first two acts by more frivolous members of the cast. As they rose from table, Miss Falkener said: "It's such a lovely night. Such a moon. Have you seen it, Mr. Crane?" "Well, I saw it as we drove over from the station," returned Crane, a trifle absently. He had become thoughtful as dinner ended. "Do you think," said Cora, "that it would be too cold to take a turn in the garden? I should like to see the old box and the cedars by moonlight." "Not a bit. Let's go out. I have something to do first, but it won't take me ten minutes. But," he added, "you must not catch cold and get laid up, and miss the run to-morrow. I'm going to put you on a new Irish mare I've just bought." And they found themselves talking not about the garden, but the stable. In the midst of it Smithfield came into the drawing-room with the coffee, and Crane said to him, in a low tone: "Oh, Smithfield, tell the cook I'll see her now, in the little office across the hall." Smithfield looked graver than usual. "Beg pardon, sir," he said, "but the cook was feeling tired and has gone up to bed, sir." Crane was just helping himself to sugar. "She cooked this coffee, didn't she?" he said. "Yes, sir." "She can't have been gone very long then." "About five minutes, sir." "Go up and tell her to come down," said Crane. He turned again to Miss Falkener and went on about the past performances of the Irish mare, but it was quite clear to all who heard him that his heart was no longer in the topic. Smithfield's return was greeted by complete silence. "Well?" said Crane sharply. "Beg pardon, sir," said Smithfield, "Jane-Ellen says that she is very tired, and that if the morning will do--" "The morning will not do," answered Crane, with a promptness unusual in him. "Go up and tell her that if she is not in my office within ten minutes, I'll come up myself." Smithfield bowed and withdrew. Silence again descended on the room. Mrs. Falkener and Tucker were silent because they both felt that thus their faces expressed more plainly than words could do that this was just about what they had expected. But Cora, who was young enough to understand that anger may be a form of interest, watched him with a strangely wistful expression. After what seemed to every one an interminable delay, Smithfield entered again. He looked pale and graver than any one had ever seen his habitually grave countenance. "Jane-Ellen is in your office now, sir," he said. Crane rose at once and left the room followed by Smithfield. V