rkle had gone out of her eyes; her abundant life had
departed. She looked wistfully away towards Cannes, the fashionable town
which lay several hundreds of feet lower, away by the shores of the
Mediterranean; then she glanced around the garden, and noted the almost
tropical plants which grew in such abundance.

"Father, I want to get home," she said.

"You will have great difficulty in finding a more beautiful spot than
this," said John Castlemaine.

"Yes, I know, but I cannot bear it any longer. I want to get back to
work."

"You'll find it very hard to go back to the old scenes again; besides,
you know what gossips our neighbours are."

"I do not see that that matters. I did a very cowardly thing in coming
away."

"You did what I insisted on," replied her father.

"Yes, I know; but I ought to have insisted also."

"Yes, and--well, it has been bad enough here where we are unknown, but
home at The Beeches--why, those newspaper reports would have driven us
mad."

"They would have done nothing of the sort. If they had--well, it would
not have mattered."

"You have not driven the fellow out of your mind yet."

"No," replied Olive.

"Then my advice is, do so. Why, think of those Taviton papers? To be
drunk on a public platform; to allow your picture to be thrown on a
screen, while he stammered out his drunken drivel. No wonder the people
hooted him out of the town."

Olive was silent, although her face twitched with pain.

"At any rate, I am glad he had the shame to go away into hiding. I saw
by a paper yesterday that nothing is known of his whereabouts."

"Yes, I know."

"You saw it?"

Olive nodded.

"I hope we've seen the last of him."

She did not speak.

John Castlemaine turned, and saw Mr. Sackville coming towards them,
bearing a packet of letters and newspapers.

"The post has just come in," said the minister, "and I took the liberty
of bringing your letters and papers."

He laid them on an empty chair by Olive Castlemaine as he spoke, and
then went on.

"I must take the next train back to England."

"So soon?"

"Yes, there are two or three matters which require my immediate
attention. You see--well, I came away somewhat suddenly, you know."

He was sorry he had spoken the moment the words escaped his lips, for he
saw a look of pain shoot across Olive Castlemaine's face. But he had
enough tact not to hurt her more by seeking to offer explanations.

"Nothing serious, I hope," said