THE SILVER FOX 127 



that it would have spoiled her box cloth 

 coat." 



*' Do you know where she is now ? " asked 

 Bunbury, after another silence. 



'' She said something about going to look 

 for daffodils. I saw her going up the 

 backway towards the woods some time ago." 



*' Are you too tired to walk up to meet 

 her? You may choose between that and 

 playing the Impromptu." 



They went up the hill at the back of the 

 house by a seldom-used avenue, where cart- 

 wheels had made deep brown ruts in the 

 grass, and the bordering oaks hung their 

 branches low and unpruned ; pale winter 

 pastures spread on either side, and the 

 cattle were already moving downwards 

 towards their nioht's lodo^ing. Yet the 

 hint of coming spring was in the lengthened 

 afternoon ; stiff-necked daffodil buds were 

 beginning to bend their heads and show the 

 hoarded gold through the jealous green, and 

 thrushes were twining a net of song in the 

 shrubberies below. It is in the days of 



