who made her appearance in the sall

ually rang with their young laughter. But that morning even Billy wa

Lady Grace nor Rose was present. The Colonel's face was stern. He occupied himself wit

face was very pale. She ate but little, and that little only when urged thereto

a table only a few yards distant, obse

atter caught his eye and threw him a brief greeting. Most people were polite to Scott. Bu

n anyone. His black brows were drawn, and he looked

tigating while he ate. Now and then he gave concise and somewhat peremptory instructions, which Scott jotted down in a note-book

d aside did the elder abruptly abandon his aloof att

hout a sleeping-dr

hook hi

more pronounced. "Did Bidd

voice was low. He met his broth

ble. "I won't have it, Stumpy," he said

ht there was no alternative. It is impossible to do the

said Eust

sed his shoulders,

sistence. "If you can't-or won't-assert your authority,

ion," said Scott, wi

strength of mind, I have; and I shall exercise it. These drugs mus

ore reasonable. We must do the thing gradually, if at all. To interfere forcibly would do infinitely more harm than good. I know what I am saying. I know her far better than you do now.

uch in the last seven y

ith quiet confidence. "I know it's a slow process. But she is moving in the right direction

ou're so infernally deliberate always.

he said. "Have you finished? Suppose we go." He gathered up the she

. Yet it was upon the latter's slight, halting figure that Dinah's eyes dwelt till it finally limped out of sight, and in her look were wonder and a vagrant admiration. There was an undeniable attrac

little lap-do

to pat its head for a

laughed a third. "Can i

pretty little whiskers! It's just

group of critics. Then, aware of the Colonel's eyes upon

mnatory. "You may go if you wish," he said, in the tone of one dismissing

et. "Can I go too, si

t, if he could have dismissed his two young charges altogether, he would have done so with alacrity. But that unfortunately was out of the question-unless

she could not conduct herself becomingly and obediently, he would take them both straight home again and thus put a summary end to temptation. His own daughter had never given hi

g's glories, had listened with a humility that had slightly mollified her judge though he had been careful not to let her

a little disconcerting to find the culprit awaiting him in the vestibule t

ed so completely that he could not even pretend to be angry any longer. He had never taken much notice of Dinah before, treating her,

asked gruffly, his white m

nodded

d grasped the little brown hand for a

reated it. She smiled thankfully through her te

letters, came upon her sitting somewhat discons

hurst! Aren't you going

ve brought down your sister's trinkets. Here they are!" She held out a neat little paper parcel to him. "Please will you

He took the packet f

s delighted with you. When ar

know," sa

ea!" sugge

sitated,

sked in his cheery way. "Well, come

d. "I-I would love to come. Only-" She glanced round a

age with my letters," said

like to. It's such a glorious morning aga

wanting to skat

ther tired this morning, b

ing along in the distance with a red-clad figure beside him. He made no comment upon the s

re so obviously friendly. He had a shrewd suspicion on this occasion that the girl beside him had something to s

he blue of the sky was no longer sapphire but glorious turquoise. The

suppose one always feels

ng the reactio

'm feeling-ashamed," said

"I don't see why," he sa

f you try. You knew I was wrong to go down again for that l

presumptuous of

. I want you to know that, Mr. Studley. I want you to know that I'm

e weary lines about his eyes. "I don't know why you should be so ve

a tremendous wigging from the Colonel this morning, and if-

t such a serious matter as all that. If you want my opinion, I t

ing away from him and quickening her pa

id Scott. "And is

e suddenly into her voice. "I was waiting for you on the verandah a little while ago, and-and he went by with Rose and nev

er shortly. "I shouldn't bother

e half-indignant, half-piteous. "I-I behaved so idiotically

o hard on yourself. Of course I don't know what happened, but I do know that my brother is much more likely to have been in the wrong than you were. The best

read himself at Rose's feet like all t

ss de Vigne won't have the

"She knows how to flirt wit

with fervour. "So he tried to flirt, d

," murmured Dinah, w

do! Strike out a straight line for yourself, and stick to it! Above all, don't be ashamed of sticking to it! No woman was ever yet the better or the

charm," she said. "That's just the trouble. It was only

e said. "Perhaps it's a pity to open your eyes. But whatever you do, don't try to humour my brother's whims! It would be

e first he had seen that morning. "I'll come," she said, "if Lady

sister is an invalid! I don't think she will object. I m

ther stuck up, but that's only natural. He's lived so long in India, and now he's a J.P. into the bargai

lly," obse

she answered warmly. "He's

a smile. "Now here is the vill

y. She was feeling much happier; her tot

to herself with enthusiasm, as she w

d," she said frankly to the m

," said Scott. "And it is ext

"And, oh, you haven't been smoking

took out his cigarette-c

tn't dawdle. I have got

rette kindled. Then, with a

s your sister been a

. "Do you want t

said Dinah. "If

owly, and his limp became more pronounced. "No, I should like to tell you about her," he said. "You

ered. "I'm not such a donkey as t

lf. "It's hard to believe, isn't it, that seven years ago she was-even l

im. "She is far lovelier than Rose

was always much softer than he is. You would scarcely believe

mitted. "But then, she must have

irl of intensely vivid feelings, very passionate and warmhearted. She and Eustace were inseparable in the ol

ce to her last nig

ertain things intensely. Of course he is five years older than I am, and we have never been pals in the sense that he and she were pals. I was always a slow-goer, and they went like the wind. But I know him. I know what his feelings are, and what this thi

ke her afraid of

ly taking chap evidently. They practically fell in love with one another at sight. Poor old Eustace!" Scott paused, faintly smiling. "He meant her to marry well if she married at all, and Basil was no more than the son of a country parson without a penny to his name. However, the thing was past remedy. I saw that when they came home, and Isabel told me about it. I was at Oxford then. She came down alone for a night, and b

d keen interest. Her e

ther had died six years before, my mother at my birth. Eustace was the head of the family, and he and Isabel had been all in all to each other. He felt her going more than I can possibly tell you, and scarcely a week after the news came he got his things together and went off

rt, hard breath. "Poor

ri. The day after they got there, he took her up the mountain to show her some of the beauties of the place, and they lunched on a ledge about a couple of hundred feet above a great lonely tarn. It was a wonderful place but very savage, horribly desolate. They rested after the meal, and then, Isabe

d a shocked face upon

, accustomed to mountaineering, would make nothing of it; and, from what Isabel has told me of him, I gather he was that sort of man. But on that particular afternoon something must have happened.

whispered again. "And

efused-to leave it till he should come back. She had spent the whole night there alone, waiting, getting more and more distraught, and they could do nothing with her. They were afraid o

Dinah. "What did they do? Th

nding one of the coolies back with the news while he and the other men waited and watched. They kept her supplied with food. She must have eaten almost mechanically. But she never

watching her," mu

aken the mainspring of her life with him. I hate to think of what followed. They sent up a doctor from the nearest station, and she was taken away,-taken by force. When I got to her three weeks later, she was mad, raving mad, wit

is brows were drawn as t

for telling me! Thank you!" she murmured. "I d

are so sympathetic, and I have taken advantage of it. I think we shall get her back. She is coming very, very gradually. She has never before taken su

ring smile. "I am proud-very proud. I only wish

the yacht; and then she was so miserable that we were afraid to keep her there. But he though

er leave her?"

ia she has been very dependent upon me. Biddy of cour

lf up to her in fact?"

h's

at home wasn't such a great wrench. I'm not especially clever. I act as my brother's secretary, and we find it answers very well. He is a rich man, and there is a good deal of business in connection with the e

d shame!" bro

a matter of fact neither he nor anyone else expected me to grow up at the time that will was made. It was solely due to Biddy's devotion,

es. "I think you are simply wonderful.

ortunities for doing so. Ah, there he is! He is actually skating

horrid about her any more," said Dinah suddenly. "You m

protested Scot

sn't make me feel the least bit better. I was a cat. T

ckened her steps. Sir Eustace h

he called.

said Dinah. "I can't think

lightly, philosophically. "D

emphasis. "I have another name fo

he looked at her wit

d from carmine to cri

er voice very low. "Beca

He flushed also; but she saw that thou

thurst," he said simply, and turned without f

stroll with Scott had quite li