The Eagle's Shadow

  XXI

  But ten minutes later she saw Mr. Woods in the distance stridingacross the sunlit terraces, and was seized with a conviction thattheir interview was likely to prove a stormy one. There was an ominousstiffness in his gait.

  "Oh, dear, dear!" Miss Hugonin wailed; "he's in a temper now, andhe'll probably be just as disagreeable as it's possible for any oneto be. I do wish men weren't so unreasonable! He looks exactly like abig, blue-eyed thunder-cloud just now--just now, when I'm sure he hasevery cause in the _world_ to be very much pleased--after allI've done for him. He makes me awfully tired. I think he's _veryungrateful_. I--I think I'm rather afraid."

  In fact, she was. Now that the meeting she had anticipated thesetwelve hours past was actually at hand, there woke in her breast anunreasoning panic. Miss Hugonin considered, and caught up her skirts,and whisked into the summer-house, and there sat down in the darkestcorner and devoutly wished Mr. Woods in Crim Tartary, or Jericho, or,in a word, any region other than the gardens of Selwoode.

  Billy came presently to the opening in the hedge and stared at thedeserted bench. He was undeniably in a temper. But, then, how becomingit was! thought someone.

  "Miss Hugonin!" he said, coldly.

  Evidently (thought someone) he intends to be just as nasty aspossible.

  "Peggy!" said Mr. Woods, after a little.

  Perhaps (thought someone) he won't be _very_ nasty.

  "Dear Peggy!" said Mr. Woods, in his most conciliatory tone.

  Someone rearranged her hair complacently.

  But there was no answer, save the irresponsible chattering of thebirds, and with a sigh Billy turned upon his heel.

  Then, by the oddest chance in the world, Margaret coughed.

  I dare say it was damp in the summer-house; or perhaps it was causedby some passing bronchial irritation; or perhaps, incredible as it mayseem, she coughed to show him where she was. But I scarcely think so,because Margaret insisted afterward--very positively, too--that shedidn't cough at all.