Her glance drifted up to Master Jim, who looked supremely happy in his lofty position.
"You'll understand one day, Jim," she added, "how these things are done, when you're grown up."
"When I'm grown up," retorted Master Jim, confidently, "I'm going to do the same myself."
"If we go on at our present rate, there won't be any of South Africa left for him by that time," said the Earl. "We shall have to discover a new field for him to operate upon. But there is no immediate hurry. What do you say to our visiting the kennels in the meantime?"
"Delighted," said Winn, and the whole party moved off slowly down the terrace.
[Illustration: "MISS GRAHAME BURIED HER FACE IN HER HANDS--SHE WAS CRYING."]
As soon as they were out of earshot, the Count got up leisurely from his seat. Producing his case, he lighted a cigarette. He puffed at it reflectively.
"Twenty thousand pounds," he said, softly; "yes, Vorenbeck would certainly give that for the Vaarg Valley plans--" he paused--"and it happens that I am a poor man."
He moved across the room towards a heavily-curtained doorway.
"But how," he muttered, "how is it to be done?"
He pulled the drapery aside, then started back in surprise. Miss Grahame was standing in the space between the curtains and the door. In one hand she was holding a book.
He looked at her suspiciously. He noticed that the door was closed behind her. How long had she been there? What had she heard?
"I came to replace this book," she said, simply, then stepped forward.
He bowed to her in silence, and passed out of the room. She stood for a moment with her eyes fixed on the door through which he had disappeared.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, "if I could only warn him!"
She stood for some minutes staring absently out of the window. Suddenly the sound of voices caught her ear, and she turned her head. She drew back quickly behind the curtain, as round the corner of the terrace Lady Dorothy appeared with Winn. He was smiling, and she was laughing happily into his face. It would have been difficult to picture a more perfect pair.
Olive Grahame stood for a few moments immovable, her eyes fixed on Winn. Then, as they came to within a few feet of the library window, she turned with a quick movement and hurried away. She made her way upstairs, and, gaining her room, shut the door. On the opposite side by the window stood a table, on which was an old-fashioned leather-covered desk. She crossed to this, and, unlocking it, began to turn over some papers. Presently she came upon a photograph. She held this before her and gazed at it steadily for some seconds. Suddenly it dropped from her grasp, and, sinking into a chair by the table, she leant forward and buried her face between her hands. Miss Grahame was crying.