e
birds' eggs, or such nonsense."

It was quite evident that Mackenzie had very little fear of his daughter
not being able to accomplish the descent of the rocks safely enough: it
was a matter of dignity. And so Sheila was at length persuaded to go
across the plain to a sheltered place, to wait there until the others
should clamber down to the great and naturally-formed tunnel through the
rocks that the artist was to sketch.

Lavender was ill at ease. He followed his guide mechanically as they
made their way, in zigzag fashion, down the precipitous slopes and over
slippery plateaus; and when at last he came in sight of the mighty arch,
the long cavern, and the glimmer of sea and shore that could be seen
through it, he began to put down the outlines of the picture as rapidly
as possible, but with little interest in the matter. Ingram was sitting
on the bare rocks beside him, Mackenzie was some distance off: should he
tell his friend of what Sheila had said in the morning? Strict honesty,
perhaps, demanded as much, but the temptation to say nothing was great.
For it was evident that Ingram was now well inclined to the project, and
would do his best to help it on; whereas, if once he knew that Sheila
had resolved against it, he too might take some sudden step--such as
insisting on their immediate return to the mainland--which would settle
the matter for ever. Sheila had said she would herself make the
necessary explanation to Ingram, but she had not done so: perhaps she
might lack the courage or an opportunity to do so, and in the mean time
was not the interval altogether favorable to his chances? Doubtless she
was a little frightened at first. She would soon get less timid, and
would relent and revoke her decision of the morning. He would not, at
present at any rate, say anything to Ingram.

But when they had got up again to the summit of the rocks, an incident
occurred that considerably startled him out of these vague and anxious
speculations. He walked straight over to the sheltered spot in which
Sheila was waiting. The rushing of the wind doubtless drowned the sound
of his footsteps, so that he came on her unawares; and on seeing him she
rose suddenly from the rock on which she had been sitting, with some
effort to hide her face away from him. But he had caught a glimpse of
something in her eyes that filled him with remorse.

"Sheila," he said, going forward to her, "what is the matter? What are
you unhappy about?"