"In  which  direction  lies  Estwich.''"  she  asked,  lift-
ing her  gaze  to  meet  his  eyes ;  but  they  avoided  her  as
he  answered,  busy  fumbling  with  a  girth  that  required
no  adjustment :

"  Over  yonder," — making  a  slight  movement  with
his  head.  Then  taking  his  horse  by  the  head  he  said
heartily :

"  Awfully  sorry  you  won't  accept  my  hospitality ;
but  if  j^ou  won't  you  won't,  and  we'll  try  to  find  a
short  cut."

He  led  his  horse  out  of  the  path  straight  ahead
through  the  woods,  and  she  walked  beside  him.
419


THE    COMMON   LAW


"Of  course  you  know  the  way,  Mr.  Cardemon?"
slic  said  pleasantly.
"  I  ought  to — unless  the  undergrowth  has  changed
the  looks  of  things  since  I've  been  through."

"  How  long  is  it  since  you've  been  through  ?  "

"  Oh,  I  can't  just  recollect,"  lie  said  carelessly.  "  I
guess  it  will  be  all  right."

For  a  wliile  they  walked  steadily  forward  among
the  trees  ;  he  talking  to  her  with  a  frank  and  detached
amiability,  asking  about  the  people  at  Estwich,  inter-
ested to  hear  that  the  small  house-party  had  disin-
tegrated, surprised  to  learn  that  the  countess  had  gone
to  town.
"Are  you  entirely  alone  in  the  house?"  he  asked;
and  his  eyes  seemed  to  protrude  a  little  more  than  usual.
"  Entirely,"  she  said  carelessly  ;  "  except  for  Binns
and  his  wife  and  the  servants."

"  'Why  didn't  you  'phone  a  fellow  to  stop  over  to
lunch .^  "  he  asked,  suddenly  assuming  a  jovial  manner
which  their  acquaintance  did  not  warrant.  "  We  coun-
try folk  don't  stand  on  ceremony  you  know."

"  I  did  not  know  it,"  she  said  quietly.
