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of the evening； with its restless leaves； its grave young moon； and
lighted campion flowers； was but a part of her； the scents； the
witchery and shadows； the quaint field noises； the yokels' whistling；
and the splash of water…fowl； each seemed to him enchanted。 The
flighting bats； the forms of the dim hayricks； and sweet…brier
perfume…she summed them all up in herself。 The fingermarks had
deepened underneath her eyes； a languor came upon her； it made her
the more sweet and youthful。 Her shoulders seemed to bear on them
the very image of our landgrave and aspiring； eager yet contained
before there came upon that land the grin of greed； the folds of
wealth； the simper of content。 Fair； unconscious； free！
And he was silent； with a beating heart。
CHAPTER XXVI
THE BIRD 'OF PASSAGE
That night； after the ride； when Shelton was about to go to bed； his
eyes fell on Ferrand's letter； and with a sleepy sense of duty he
began to read it through a second time。 In the dark； oak…panelled
bedroom； his four…post bed； with back of crimson damask and its
dainty sheets； was lighted by the candle glow； the copper pitcher of
hot water in the basin； the silver of his brushes； and the line of
his well…polished boots all shone； and Shelton's face alone was
gloomy； staring at the yellowish paper in his hand。
〃The poor chap wants money； of course；〃 he thought。 But why go on
for ever helping one who had no claim on him； a hopeless case；
incurableone whom it was his duty to let sink for the good of the
community at large？ Ferrand's vagabond refinement had beguiled him
into charity that should have been bestowed on hospitals； or any
charitable work but foreign missions。 To give a helping hand； a bit
of himself； a nod of fellowship to any fellow…being irrespective of a
claim； merely because he happened to be down； was sentimental
nonsense！ The line must be drawn！ But in the muttering of this
conclusion he experienced a twinge of honesty。 〃Humbug！ You don't
want to part with your money； that's all！〃
So； sitting down in shirt…sleeves at his writing table； he penned the
following on paper stamped with the Holm Oaks address and crest：
MY DEAR FERRAND；
I am sorry you are having such a bad spell。 You seem to be dead out
of luck。 I hope by the time you get this things will have changed
for the better。 I should very much like to see you again and have a
talk； but shall be away for some time longer； and doubt even when I
get back whether I should be able to run down and look you up。 Keep
me 'au courant' as to your movements。 I enclose a cheque。
Yours sincerely；
RICHARD SHELTON。
Before he had written out the cheque； a moth fluttering round the
candle distracted his attention； and by the time he had caught and
put it out he had forgotten that the cheque was not enclosed。 The
letter； removed with his clothes before he was awake； was posted in
an empty state。
One morning a week later he was sitting in the smoking…room in the
company of the gentleman called Mabbey； who was telling him how many
grouse he had deprived of life on August 12 last year； and how many
he intended to deprive of life on August 12 this year； when the door
was opened； and the butler entered； carrying his head as though it
held some fatal secret。
〃A young man is asking for you； sir；〃 he said to Shelton； bending
down discreetly； 〃I don't know if you would wish to see him； sir。〃
〃A young man！ 〃repeated Shelton； 〃what sort of a young man？〃
〃I should say a sort of foreigner； sir；〃 apologetically replied the
butler。 〃He's wearing a frock…coat； but he looks as if he had been
walking a good deal。〃
Shelton rose with haste； the description sounded to him ominous。
〃Where is he？〃
〃I put him in the young ladies' little room； sir。〃
〃All right；〃 said Shelton； 〃I 'll come and see him。 Now； what the
deuce！〃 he thought； running down the stairs。
It was with a queer commingling of pleasure and vexation that he
entered the little chamber sacred to the birds； beasts； racquets；
golf…clubs； and general young ladies' litter。 Ferrand was standing
underneath the cage of a canary； his hands folded on his pinched…up
hat； a nervous smile upon his lips。 He was dressed in Shelton's old
frock…coat； tightly buttoned； and would have cut a stylish figure but
far his look of travel。 He wore a pair of pince…nez； too； which
somewhat veiled his cynical blue eyes； and clashed a little with the
pagan look of him。 In the midst of the strange surroundings he still
preserved that air of knowing； and being master of； his fate； which
was his chief attraction。
〃I 'm glad to see you；〃 said Shelton； holding out his hand。
〃Forgive this liberty；〃 began Ferrand； 〃but I thought it due to you
after all you've done for me not to throw up my efforts to get
employment in England without letting you know first。 I'm entirely
at the end of my resources。〃
The phrase struck Shelton as one that he had heard before。
But I wrote to you；〃 he said； 〃did n't you get my letter？〃
A flicker passed across the vagrant's face； he drew the letter from
his pocket and held it out。
〃Here it is； monsieur。〃
Shelton stared at it。
〃Surely；〃 said he； 〃I sent a cheque？〃
Ferrand did not smile； there was a look about him as though Shelton
by forgetting to enclose that cheque had done him a real injury。
Shelton could not quite hide a glance of doubt。
〃Of course；〃 he said； 〃IImeant to enclose a cheque。〃
Too subtle to say anything； Ferrand curled his lip。； 〃I am capable of
much； but not of that；〃 he seemed to say； and at once Shelton felt
the meanness of his doubt。
〃Stupid of me；〃 he said。
〃I had no intention of intruding here；〃 said Ferrand； 〃I hoped to see
you in the neighbourhood； but I arrive exhausted with fatigue。 I've
eaten nothing since yesterday at noon； and walked thirty miles。〃 He
shrugged his shoulders。 〃You see； I had no time to lose before
assuring myself whether you were here or not。〃
〃Of course…〃 began Shelton； but again he stopped。
〃I should very much like；〃 the young foreigner went on； 〃for one of
your good legislators to find himself in these country villages with
a penny in his pocket。 In other countries bakers are obliged to sell
you an equivalent of bread for a penny； here they won't sell you as
much as a crust under twopence。 You don't encourage poverty。〃
〃What is your idea now？〃 asked Shelton； trying to gain time。
〃As I told you；〃 replied Ferrand； 〃there 's nothing to be done at
Folkestone； though I should have stayed there if I had had the money
to defray certain expenses〃； and again he seemed to reproach his
patron with the omission of that cheque。 〃They say things will
certainly be better at the end of the month。 Now that I know English
well； I thought perhaps I could procure a situation for teaching
languages。〃
〃I see；〃 said Shelton。
As a fact； however； he was far from seeing； he literally did not know
what to do。 It seemed so brutal to give Ferrand money and ask him to
clear out； besides； he chanced to have none in his pocket。
〃It needs philosophy to support what I 've gone through this week；〃
said Ferrand； shrugging his shoulders。 〃On Wednesday last； when I
received your letter； I had just eighteen…pence； and at once I made a
resolution to come and see you； on that sum I 've done the journey。
My strength is nearly at an end。〃
Shelton stroked his chin。
〃Well；〃 he had just begun； 〃we must think it over；〃 when by Ferrand's
face he saw that some one had come in。 He turned； and saw Antonia in
the doorway。 〃Excuse me；〃 he stammered； and； going to Antonia； drew
her from the room。
With a smile she said at once： 〃It's the young foreigner； I'm
certain。 Oh； what fun！〃
〃Yes；〃 answered Shelton slowly； 〃he's come to see me about getting
some sort of tutorship or other。 Do you think your mother would mind
if I took him up to have a wash？ He's had a longish walk。 And might
he have some breakfast？ He must be hungry。〃
〃Of course！ I'll tell Dobson。 Shall I speak to mother？ He looks
nice； Dick。〃
He gave her a grateful； furtive look； and went back to his guest； an
impulse had made him hide from her the true condition of affairs。
Ferrand was standing where he had been left his face still clothed in
mordant impassivity。
〃Come up to my room！〃 said Shelton； and while his guest was washing；
brushing； and otherwise embellishing his person； he stood reflecting
that Ferrand was by no means unpresentable； and he felt quite
grateful to him。
He took an opportunity； when the young man's back was turned； of
examining his counterfoils。 There was no record； naturally； of a
cheque drawn in Ferrand's favour。 Shelton felt more mean than ever。
A message ca