clock on this particular afternoon Barry bade her good-day,
and joined Owen in the street outside the office, where the big motor
stood throbbing impatiently beneath its owner's hand.

"Jump in, Barry. If we have a good run we might take Toni on the river
for an hour. Poor little girl, I'm afraid I've rather neglected her
lately."

Barry took his seat, and under Owen's skilful guidance they were soon
out of the City tumult, speeding smoothly away in the direction of
Richmond.

It was just beyond Staines that the accident happened.

Through no fault of his own Owen collided with a badly-steered motor
negotiating a sharp bend; and though no one else was injured it was
discovered, after all was over, that Owen had sustained a fracture of
the right arm.

The owner of the other car, who was only too palpably a novice in the
art of driving, confounded himself in apologies. He was indeed so
manifestly upset and distressed to find what his carelessness had done,
that in the midst of his own natural annoyance Owen found time to assure
him of his complete forgiveness; and the irony of the situation was made
evident when it leaked out that the offender was a surgeon, resident in
the district, who practised the art of motoring in his spare moments.

He insisted on Owen returning with him to receive all the care and
attention his medical skill could supply; and thus it was that when the
car, driven by Barry, finally drew up in front of the hall door of
Greenriver, Toni, running down the steps to greet her husband and his
visitor, was startled to observe Owen, a trifle pale, descend from the
car with his right arm supported in a black silk sling.

"Owen!" Every vestige of colour died out of Toni's face. "What has
happened? You've had an accident!"

"Nothing much, dear!" He spoke reassuringly. "Collided with another car
outside Staines, and I've broken my stupid arm. But that's all."

"Quite enough," struck in Barry, smiling. "No one else was hurt, Mrs.
Rose--not even the old idiot who was to blame."

"It's nearly dinner-time, I suppose," said Owen, looking up at the hall
clock. "We started early to take you on the river, Toni, but I'm afraid
it's too late now."

"And you're disabled," said Barry. "You'll be dependent on our good
offices for your dinner; won't he, Mrs. Rose?"

And so it proved, for like a good many people Owen felt utterly at a
loss with only one available hand. To Toni fell the task of cutting up
his f