r.
Kinross had quite gone, she ran along the passages to her own bedroom, a
limper lavender lady than ever.

While dressing she peeped between the laths of the blind, agitated, now
the disturbance was over, to think of the sudden arrival of Hugh upon
the scene. What a masterful man he was! How he had grasped her shoulder
and pushed her along! But, oh! how stupid--how stupid he must have
considered her for not thinking of water for the poor children herself!
Yes, he had called it an insanity of folly! She peeped mournfully
through the blind.

And across at "Tenby" now was a wagonette, with Mrs. Gowan and two such
pretty, fashionable girls in it! And out came Hugh with a small
portmanteau in his hand, and rather a better suit on than he generally
wore, and certainly a better hat.

And Kate came after and kissed him good-bye!

Was his holiday, then, over? Was he going back to town? Oh, no, of
course! Had not Lynn said he was going to the Jenolan Caves for a week
with his other sister and her party? But Lynn had not said anything
about those very pretty girls! Miss Bibby sighed, she knew not why, as
the wagonette drove away.

Then, in a mood from which all buoyancy had fled, drowned probably with
the ants in the unexpected bath, she began to work at the interview
again.

A mile along the way Hugh gave an exclamation of annoyance; not so
strong certainly as the one Miss Bibby had overheard, but still
indicative of much vexation.

"I went expressly to 'Greenways'," he said, "to deliver a communication,
and that ant business drove it out of my head. I'm really afraid I shall
have to turn back."

The ladies protested a little. Was it very important? As it was they
would barely make the first twenty-five miles of the journey, and reach
the first hotel of their route before dark.

"Yes," said Hugh, really perturbed, "it is important--rather. I'm afraid
I'll have to go back."

The coachman sulkily brought his horses round; the "ant business" had
kept him waiting at "Tenby" gate nearly half an hour, and he had a
strong objection to arriving at hotels when the dinner hour was long
past and the cook, pettish at having to set to work again, quite callous
about what she set before him.

But at the critical moment Larkin appeared--Larkin who had a perfect
genius for appearing on the spot when he was wanted.

"Hello! here's Middlecut to the rescue," Hugh cried, hailing him with a
shout. "Hi, young man, can you go off on