my dear," said Miss Penny, with a sudden flash of incongruity,"
this is truly a _very_ great change from Melgrave Square."

"It is," laughed Margaret. "Are you coming, Hennie?"

"I'll--I'll risk it if Mr. Graeme will personally conduct me. He's in
charge of us, you know."

"Certainly!" and he held out his hand to her, and then looked at
Margaret. "Will you please wait here till I come back for you?" And
catching, as he thought, a sign of mutiny in her face,--"Although it's
perfectly safe it's perhaps just as well to have company the first
time you cross."

"Very well," she said, and Miss Penny clung convulsively to the strong
unwavering hand while she gingerly trod the narrow way, and the dogs
raced half-way to meet them.

"Go _away_!" she shrieked, and the dogs turned on their pivots and
sped back.

"Now, you see!" he said, when she stood safe on the rounded shoulder
of Little Sark. "Where was the trouble?"

"It's perfectly easy, Meg," cried Miss Penny, uplifted with her
accomplishment.

He wondered whether she would vouchsafe him her hand or attempt the
passage alone. But she put her hand into his without hesitation, and
thenceforth and for ever the Coupee held for him a touch of sacred
glamour. For the soft hand throbbed in his, and every throb thrilled
right up into his heart and set it dancing to some such tune as that
which sang in David when he danced before the Ark. But his hand was
firm, and his head was steady, for that which he held in charge was
the dearest thing in life to him.

Three hundred blessed feet was the span of the Coupee. How fervently
he wished them three thousand--ay, three million! For every step
accorded him a throb, and heart-throbs such as these are among the
precious things of life.

Neither of them spoke one word. Common-places were very much out of
place, and the things that were in his heart he might not speak--yet.

"Didn't I say so?" cried Miss Penny, as they stepped ashore on Little
Sark. "It's as easy as winking."

"I never said it wasn't," said Margaret, with a deep breath. "But I
doubt if you'd have come across alone, my child."

"It was certainly pleasanter to have something to hold on to," said
Miss Penny.

And Graeme thought so too.

IX

Little Sark provides ample opportunity for the adventurous scrambler,
and Graeme, having tested the novel sensation of those delicious
heart-thrills, was eager for more.

They prowled round the old silver mines, and s