so. I couldn't make my interference too marked." Obeying some
impulse, he laid his hand on her arm. "Rather a handful for you, isn't
he?"

Bella nodded, making no attempt to shake off his grasp.

"Yes," she acknowledged with some bitterness; "but I can hardly complain
that I have no control over him. It would be astonishing if I had." She
broke into a little harsh laugh. "Anyway, I manage to keep my head, and
do not deceive myself, as he does. I know what our welcome's worth and
what the few people whose opinion counts for anything think of us."

"Well," offered Lisle, "if I can be of service in any respect--"

"Thanks," she interrupted, and turned back toward the door.

When they reached the hall she glanced at her companion as the light fell
on his face.

"Your offer's genuine," she said impulsively. "I can't see what you
expect in return."

Lisle was puzzled by her expression. She was variable in her moods,
generally somewhat daring, and addicted to light mockery. He could not
tell whether she spoke in bitterness or in mischief.

"No," he replied gravely, "nor do I."

She left him with a laugh; and a little later he drove her and her
companions away and afterward returned to Nasmyth's house to find that
his host had retired. Lisle followed his example and rising early the
next morning they set off for the river, up which the sea-trout were
running. They were busy all morning and it was not until noon, when they
lay in the sunshine eating their lunch on a bank of gravel, that either
of them made any allusion to the previous evening.

"Did you enjoy yourself last night?" Nasmyth asked.

"Fairly," Lisle responded, smiling. "I've already confessed that you
people interest me. At the same time, I had my difficulties--first of all
to explain to the Marples why you didn't come. The reasons you gave
didn't sound convincing."

"They were good enough. It's probable that Marple understood them. Like
most of my neighbors, I go once or twice in a year; his subscription to
the otter hounds entitles him to that."

"We don't look at things in that way in the parts of Canada I'm
acquainted with," laughed Lisle.

"Then I've no doubt you'll come to it," Nasmyth replied with some
dryness. "They've done so already in the older cities. Now--since you're
fond of candor--you have been glad to earn a dollar or two a day by
chopping and shoveling, haven't you? Have you felt left out in the cold
at all during the little while