by suggesting
an alteration in their route. In a roundabout and tentative fashion--in
which more suspicious observers must have detected something
shamefaced--he mentioned that he had always heard a great deal about
Montreux as a winter-resort. The fact that he called it Montroox raised
in Julia's mind a fleeting wonder from whom it could be that he had
heard so much about it, but it occurred to neither her nor her brother
to question his entire good faith. Their uncle had displayed, hitherto,
a most comforting freedom from discrimination among European towns; he
had, indeed, assured them many times that they were all one to him. That
he should suddenly turn up now with a favourite winter-resort of his
own selection surprised them considerably, but, upon reflection, it also
pleased them. He had humoured all their wishes with such unfailing
and bountiful kindness, that it was a delight to learn that there was
something he wanted to do. They could not finish their breakfast till
the guide-book had been brought to the table.

"Oh! How splendid!" Julia had cried then. "The Castle of Chillon is
there!"

"Why of course!" said Thorpe, complacently.

They laughed gayly at him for pretending that he had known this, and he
as good-humouredly accepted their banter. He drew a serious long breath
of relief, however, when their backs were turned. It had gone off much
better than he had feared.

Now, on this Sunday afternoon, as the train made its sure-footed way
across the mountains, the thought that he was actually to alight at
Montreux at once fascinated and depressed him. He was annoyed with
himself for suffering it to get such a hold upon his mind. What was
there in it, anyway? There was a big hotel there, and he and his
youngsters were to stop at it, and if he accidentally encountered a
certain lady who was also stopping there--and of course the meeting
would bear upon its face the stamp of pure chance--what of it?

And if he did meet her, thus fortuitously--what would happen then? No
doubt a lady of her social position met abroad great numbers of people
that she had met at home. It would not in any way surprise her--this
chance encounter of which he thought so much. Were there sufficient
grounds for imagining that it would even interest her? He forced his
mind up to this question, as it were, many times, and invariably it
shied and evaded the leap.

There had been times, at Hadlow House, when Lady Cressage had seemed
s