He reflected that Merston was
probably out on the lands. His wife would be superintending the
preparation of breakfast. And Sylvia----
Something jerked suddenly within him, and a pulse awoke to a
furious beating in his throat. Sylvia was emerging at that very
moment from the doorway of the humble guest-chamber. The sun was
in her eyes, blinding her, and she did not see him. Yet she paused
a moment on the threshold.
Burke dragged in his horses and sat watching her across the yard.
She looked pale and unspeakably weary in the searching morning
light. For a second or two she stood so, then, slightly turning,
she spoke into the room behind her ere she closed the door:
"Stay here while I fetch you something to eat! Then you shall go
as soon as you like."
Clearly her voice came to him, and in it was that throb of
tenderness which he had heard once before when she had offered him
her dreaming face to kiss with the name of another man upon her
lips. He sat quite motionless as one transfixed while she drew the
door after her and stepped forth into the sunshine. And still she
did not see him for the glory of the morning.
She went quickly round to the back of the bungalow and disappeared
from his sight.
Two minutes later Burke Ranger strode across the yard with that in
his face which made it more terrible than the face of a savage
beast.
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