course. I couldn't go back on you, but if you're off---"

"Charlie, old fellow, think again."

"Go to the deuce! Where's that---?"

"Charlie, Charlie! Tea!"

"Hang tea!" he cried; but Calder dragged him off, telling him that
to-morrow would do for Bradshaw.

At tea Charlie's spirits were very much better, and it was observed
that Calder Wentworth paid marked attention to Millie Bushell, so that,
when they started for the Pool, Millie was prevailed upon to be one of
the party, on the understanding that Mr. Went worth would take care of
her. This time the expedition went off more quietly than it had
previously, but at the last moment the ladies declared that they would,
be late for dinner if they waited till it was time for Agatha Merceron
to come.

"Oh, nonsense!" said Calder. "Come over to the temple, Miss Bushell. I
won't upset the canoe."

"Well, if you insist," said Millie.

Then Mrs. Marland remarked in the quietest voice in the world---

"There's some one in the temple."

"What?" cried Millie.

"Eh?" exclaimed Calder.

"Nonsense!" said Charlie.

"I saw a face at the window," insisted Mrs. Marland.

"Oh, Mrs. Marland! Was it very awful?"

"Not at all, Millie--very pretty," and she gave Charlie a look full of
meaning.

"Look, look!" cried Millie in strong agitation.

And, as they looked, a slim figure in white came quietly out of the
temple, a smile--and, alas! no vestige of a blush--on her face, walked
composedly down the steps, and, standing on the lowest one, thence--did
not throw herself into the water--but called, in the most natural voice
in the world, "Which of you is coming to fetch me?"

Charlie looked at Calder. Calder said,

"I think you'd better put her across, old man. And--er--we might as
well walk on."

They turned away, Millie's eyes wide in surprise, Mrs. Marland smiling
the smile of triumphant sagacity.

"I was coming to you to-morrow," cried Charlie the moment his canoe
bumped against the stops.

"What do you mean, sir, by staying away a whole week? How could you?"

"I don't know," said Charlie. "You see, I couldn't come till Calder----

"Oh, what about Calder?"

"He's all right."

"What? Miss--the girl you upset out of the canoe?"

"I think so," said Charlie.

"Ah, well!" said Agatha. "But how very curious!" Then she smiled at
Charlie, and asked, "But what love can there be, Mr. Merceron, where
there is deceit?"

Charlie took no notice at all of this questi