e would be like
Laura. Poor Laura! Now if she were in that tree"--Isabel's
ideas were becoming slightly confused--"it would be natural for
her to be melancholy--only if she were a bird she wouldn't care,
she would fly off with some one else and leave Major Clowes, and
all the other birds would come and peck him to death. They
manage these things better in bird land." Isabel's eyes shut but
she hurriedly opened them again. "I'm not going to go to sleep.
It's perfectly absurd. It can't be much after nine o'clock. I
dare say Captain Hyde will come out before so very long . . . I
should like to talk to him again by myself. He isn't so
interesting when other people are there. I wonder why I told
Laura he was getting fat? He isn't: he couldn't be, to travel
all over the world and shoot black panthers. And if he did take
two helps of vol-au-vent, you must remember, Isabel, he's a big
man--well over six feet--and requires good support. He
certainly is not greedy or he would have tried to pick out the
oysters: all men love oysters.

"He was nice about Val's ribbon, too . . . wish I understood
about that ribbon. Val was grateful: he said 'Thanks, Hyde'
while Major Clowes was speaking to Barry. Laura isn't stupid,
but she never understands Val. 'Contented?' My dearest darling
Val! If he were being roasted over a slow fire he would be
'contented' if Laura was looking on. That's the worst of being
perfectly unselfish: people never realize that you're unselfish
at all. Wives don't seem to hear what their husbands say. Often
and often Major Clowes is absolutely insulting to Val, before
Laura and before me. But Laura always looks on Val as a boy.
Perhaps if Captain Hyde hears it going on he'll interfere and
shut Major Clowes up as he did tonight. He can manage Major
Clowes . . . which is clever of him! 'A strong, silent man'--as
a matter of fact he talks a good deal. . . . But I loved him for
sitting on Major Clowes. I'd rather he were nice to Val than to
me.

"But he might be nice to me too. . . .

"He was, yesterday afternoon. How he coloured up! He was
absolutely natural for the minute. That can't often happen.
People who don't like giving themselves away are thrilling when
they do."

Another yawn came upon her.

"O! dear, I really mustn't go to sleep. What a lulling noise you
make, you old river! I don't think I can get up at six tomorrow.
This hammock is as comfortable as a bed. 'The young girl