, he could have wandered out of the path,
thrown himself down amongst the ferns, and cried like a child.

Meanwhile, Pratt chatted excitedly.

"Bless the dear old place. Why, Dick, that's where I saw my little Fin
looking so disdainfully at me, coming round the sharp turn there; and,
look here, that's my old perch, where I've had many a jolly pipe."

He caught his friend suddenly by the arm, in a strangely-excited
fashion, and turned him round, as he pointed to the grey, lichen-covered
monolith of granite.

"Dick, old man, I could smoke a pipe there now, and sit and whistle like
a bird. I say, Dick, how comical a fellow would look up there in his
wig and gown, and--thank goodness!"

He said those last two words to himself with a sigh of relief, as,
turning round, there, timed to a moment by his vile machinations and
those of Fin, the sisters came, basket and fern trowel in hand, from
amongst the trees, just as if time had been standing still, and no
troubles had intervened.

To two of the party the surprise was complete. Richard stopped short,
rigid and firm; while Tiny, as soon as her eyes rested upon him, turned
pale, her basket fell to the ground, and uttering a faint cry of pain,
she pressed her hand to her side and tottered back.

Conventional feelings, rigid determination, everything went down before
nature then. With one bound Richard was at Tiny's side, and the next
moment, with a cry of joy, the poor girl's arms were round his neck, and
she was sobbing on his breast.

The probabilities are that had the insane behaviour of Frank Pratt been
seen, he would have lost caste at the bar; for, dashing down his hat and
an expensive meerschaum, which was shivered to atoms on the granite
path, he executed a wild breakdown, brought his foot to the earth with a
flop, and then rushed at Fin; but only to be disappointed, for she was
clinging to and sobbing over Dick--that is, as far up as she could
reach, crying--

"Oh, you dear, good darling, Dick--pray, pray don't go on breaking her
poor heart any more."

"I say," said Pratt, reproachfully, as Richard bent down and kissed the
little maid, "what have I done? Ain't I nobody?"

"Oh, go away now," cried Fin, "There, you may have one, if nobody's
looking. Now, that will do;" and, after suffering a kiss, she returned
it with a push.

"Time's up, Dick, come. You shall see her again," said Pratt, looking
ruefully at his meerschaum scraps, as he dusted his hat.