r eyes, as he stood there, facing the sea,
that she was suddenly afraid.

"Let us go back," she said. They turned down the crooked path towards
the ruined chapel.

"What was the news that you had for me?" he asked suddenly.

"Why, of course," she answered; "I meant to have told you before."
Then, more gravely, "It's about Robin----"

"About Robin?"

"Yes. I don't know really whether I ought to tell you, because, after
all, it's only chatter and mother never gets stories right--she manages
to twist them into the most amazing shapes."

"No. Tell me," he insisted.

"Well--there's a person whom mother knows--Mrs. Feverel. Odious to my
mind, but mother sees something of her."

"A lady?"

"No--by no means; a gloomy, forbidding person who would like to get a
footing here if she could, and is discontented because people won't
know her. You see," she added, "we can only know the people that other
people don't know. This Mrs. Feverel has a daughter--rather a pretty
girl, about eighteen--I should think she might be rather nice. I am a
little sorry for her--there isn't a father.

"Well--these people have, in some way, entangled Robin. I don't quite
know the right side of it, but mother was having tea with Mrs. Feverel
yesterday afternoon and that good woman hinted a great deal at the
power that she now had over your family. For some time she was
mysterious, but at last she unburdened herself.

"Apparently, Master Robin had been making advances to the girl in the
summer, and now wants to back out of it. He had, I gather, written
letters, and it was to these that Mrs. Feverel was referring----"

Harry drew a long breath. "I'm damned," he said.

"Oh, of course, I don't know," she went on; "you see, it may have been
garbled. Mrs. Feverel is, I should think, just the person to hint
suspicions for which there's no ground at all. Only it won't do if
she's going to whisper to every one in Pendragon--I thought you ought
to be warned----"

Harry was thinking hard. "The young fool," he said. "But it's just
what I've been wanting. This is just where I can come in. I knew
something has been worrying him lately. I could see it. I believe
he's been in two minds as to telling me--only he's been too proud.
But, of course, he will have to tell some one. A youngster like that
is no match for a girl and her mother of the class these people seem to
be. He will confide in his aunt--" He stopped and burst into
unc