wife spoke to
Mrs. Ashborne.

"We only arrived this afternoon and must have missed you at dinner," he
said. "We may go West to-morrow, though we haven't decided yet. I've
no doubt we shall see you again to-night or at breakfast."

After a few pleasant words the Challoners passed on, and Mrs. Keith
looked after them thoughtfully.

"Bertram has changed in the last few years," she said. "I heard he had
malaria in India, which perhaps accounts for it, but he shows signs of
his mother's delicacy. She was not strong, and I always thought he had
her highly-strung nervous temperament, though he must have learned to
control it in the army."

"He couldn't have got in unless the doctors were satisfied with him,"
said Mrs. Ashborne.

"That's true, but both mental and physical traits have a way of lying
dormant while we're young and of developing later. Bertram has shown
himself a capable officer, but to my mind, he looked more like a
soldier when he was at Sandhurst than he does now."

A few minutes later Mrs. Chudleigh came out of the hotel with Sedgwick
and stopped to speak to Mrs. Keith.

"I came up by the last train and heard that you were here. Captain
Sedgwick travelled with me, but he's going on to Toronto to-morrow. I
suppose you have seen the Challoners? Such a number of English people
in the town! But isn't this a curious place to spend the evening?"

"It's cool," said Mrs. Keith. "I like fresh air."

Mrs. Chudleigh, glanced towards Millicent, who was distributing a
basket of peaches among a group of untidy, emigrant children.

"That's a charming picture, isn't it? Miss Graham fits the part very
well, but I suppose you're responsible."

There was a sneer in her tone and Sedgwick broke in: "Miss Graham's a
very nice girl; you can see that she's sorry for the dirty little
beggars. They don't look as if they'd had a happy time, and a liner's
crowded steerage isn't a luxurious place."

"Since you feel so pitiful, it would be more to the purpose if you gave
them something," Mrs. Chudleigh rejoined.

"A good idea!" said Sedgwick coolly. "I'll carry it out."

He crossed the grass and scattered a few small coins among the
children, who clustered round him, after which he stood talking to
Millicent, while Mrs. Chudleigh watched him with an impatience she did
not try to hide.

"It's a new role for Sedgwick," she remarked. "When he has finished,
we are going into the cathedral to hear the music. I'