red he was able to go on, and they tactfully began to talk
about something else and after a few minutes let him drop behind. He
was grateful and went slowly, with his hand on Lucy's arm. Sometimes
he pressed it gently and she gave him a tender look, but said nothing.
She could not talk; her relief was too great. When they reached the
hotel Lawrence went to his room, and soon afterwards Lucy met Walters
on the veranda.

"I hope Lawrence is not much the worse," he said.

Lucy remembered the part she had taken and resolved to play it out.

"I expect he will be as well as usual after a rest. You took a very
generous revenge."

Walters laughed. "After all, I was only a little quicker than the rest
and really ran no risk. I was behind him and he couldn't get hold of
me. In fact, I don't know that I'd have had grit enough to stick to
him if he had slipped."

He left her and Lucy could find no fault with his reply, which she
admitted was frank and modest. For all that, her distrust had not been
banished, and when, after a time, Lawrence came down, she said, "I
suppose you're now satisfied that it wasn't Walters' fault you were
left on the _couloir_?"

"Aren't you?" Lawrence asked with some surprise.

"No," said Lucy firmly. "I'm not quite satisfied. You see, there were
a number of accidents, all leading to one result. Coincidences of that
kind don't happen unless somebody arranges them."

Lawrence laughed. "Then they're not coincidences. Do you still hold
Walters accountable for the accidents?"

"If he was accountable, they wouldn't be accidents," Lucy rejoined with
some color in her face.

"A fair retort! But let's be serious. I'm not sure I'd have fallen
off the log if I'd been left alone, but it's very possible. Walters'
help was useful, whether he saved my life or not, and you can't deny
that he meant to save it."

"No; I think he meant to save you. Did you know who it was when he
touched you?"

"I did. Remembering Jake's theory, I saw it was possible he had come
to push me off, but I knew he hadn't. That's why I gave him my hand
afterwards."

"Ah!" said Lucy. "I was sorry when you did that, because I knew what
it meant"

Lawrence looked at her deprecatingly. "I don't like you to be
prejudiced, dear, even on my account. I can do nothing that might
injure Walters now and can't treat him with suspicion; but he's going
soon and, if it's any comfort, I won't leave the hotel grounds for t