"

And Charles Svendt, if he said nothing, thought all the more.

III

The two girls were standing in the outermost seaward corner of the
breakwater, as though they had never moved, when the _Assistance_ came
nosing round Les Laches next morning, and made for the harbour. And to
Graeme, the sight of his wife, after a separation of eighteen hours,
was like a life-giving stream to a pilgrim of the desert, or the
blessing of light to a darkened soul. His heart swelled almost to
paining-point for very joy of her. He took deep breaths of gratitude
for this sweet crowning of his life. He wondered vaguely why he should
be so blest above all other men. He vowed his vows again and his eyes
were misty.

They saw him standing by the captain, and waved glad welcomes, and
presently, his glimpse into the depths of Margaret's eyes as he kissed
her, told him that he had been missed even as he had missed.

"I am glad I went with him," he said, as they climbed the steep Creux
Road. "It did him good to talk. He's feeling it terribly."

He did not tell them that they had got the previous day's papers in
St. Peter Port, and that their scathing comments on a peculiarly bad
failure, and on the remarkable contrast between the profession and the
practice of Jeremiah Pixley's life, had driven Charles Svendt almost
crazy. The wound was raw in their hearts. There was no need to turn
the knife in it.

"We shall see him back here with Mrs. Pixley before the middle of next
week, unless I'm very much mistaken," he said. "He says there's
nothing doing on the Stock Exchange, and he can fix things with his
partner to get away for a time, and it seems the wisest thing to do."

"I have liked Charles better this time than I ever did in my life
before," said Margaret. "And I am very very sorry for him and Mrs.
Pixley."

"He's not half a bad fellow," said Graeme heartily.

And perhaps, if it had been put to Miss Penny, she would have improved
even upon that.

"I hope you're not very set on being a rich woman, Meg," said Graeme,
when they were alone together.

"Oh, but I am," she said, with a smile which all the riches in the
world could not have bought from her, or brought to her.

"Yes, I know,"--and he gathered the smile with a kiss. "But in coarse
material wealth, I mean."

"I'm just as set on it as you are. I want just as much as will make
you happy. You mean Mr. Pixley has made away with it all?"

"I'm very much afraid so, but I gue