d been too
submissive. But he was pulling away with long, steady strokes, right
away into the middle of the golden light.

There was very little said just then. They glided on in a delicious
stillness; and presently the boat ran close to some old worn steps that
were half hidden by tall, coarse grass, and was made fast. Arnold had
determined to land on the island.

"Come," he said, almost imperiously.

"I didn't think of this," Elsie answered, her colour coming and going,
"and we shall be missed. It is time for Jamie to go home."

"No, it isn't," said Jamie gaily, as Arnold lifted him out upon the
decayed little pier.

A path led from the pier through a thicket of wild foliage, and then
they came to a clear space and a little thatched hut shaped like a
bee-hive. There was nothing in it save an old pair of oars and a broken
basket, but the place had been kept in pretty good repair.

Right in front of the hut the underwood had been cleared away, and the
ground sloped gently down to the water. The slow, full, golden river was
flowing on, and they stood silently watching the tide.

"We are out of the world here," Arnold said at last. "One could fancy
that Father Time sometimes comes to this forgotten island and sits down
to rest. Nothing has changed here since I was a boy; the trees have
grown thicker and taller, that is all."

"Somebody said that you were going to improve the island," Elsie
remarked. "I hardly see how that can be done."

"I merely thought of making it more habitable," he replied. "It would be
possible to establish Giles and his wife very comfortably here. They are
living now in a disreputable old cottage which ought to have been pulled
down years ago."

"Then you think of building a nice little house instead of that bee-hive
hut?"

"Yes; the house can be made as picturesque as the hut, you know. One can
look forward to pleasant parties here--children's picnics, and that kind
of thing."

Elsie thought she knew what he was thinking of at that moment. He was
going to settle down at the Court with Katherine, and she would play the
part of Lady Bountiful to perfection; children's picnics were quite in
her line, and perhaps she had already suggested that the island was the
very spot for such gatherings. It was all right, of course; every one
would say that he had chosen wisely. But, as he had chosen, why was he
standing here with another woman by his side?

"Let us go now," she said suddenly, co