udden disappearance. It was, of course, almost
inexcusable, and I could not complain if you were very angry with
me."

"I should, at least, like to know exactly what you did."

"That," said Nasmyth, "is a thing I would sooner you did not urge me
to explain. After all, I feel I have done Martial sufficient injury,
and I do not think he would like you to know. There are," he added
somewhat diffidently, "one or two other reasons why I should prefer
not to say anything further, but I would like to assure you that the
explanation one of your friends suggested is not the correct one. I
ventured to make this, at least, clear to Miss Hamilton."

Mrs. Acton regarded him with a suggestive smile. "Mr. Martial was not
effusively pleasant to you. The affair was premeditated?"

"My one excuse is that the thing was done on the spur of the moment. I
should never have undertaken it if I had reflected." Nasmyth made a
gesture of submission. "I am in your hands."

Mrs. Acton sat silent for perhaps a minute gazing at the woods that
swept round three sides of the little bay. Great cedars and pines and
hemlocks rolled down to the water's edge, and the stretch of smooth
green brine between them and the steamer flashed like a mirror.

"Well," she said, after a long pause, "I must admit that at first I
was angry with you. Now"--and her eyes grew a bit scornful--"I am
angry with Martial, instead. In fact, I think I shall wash my hands of
him. I have no sympathy with a man who allows himself to be placed in
a ludicrously painful position that reflects upon his friends."

"Especially when he has the privilege of your particular favour,"
added Nasmyth.

Mrs. Acton laughed. "That," she returned, "was a daring observation.
It, at least, laid a certain obligation on Martial to prove it
warranted, which he has signally failed to do. I presume you know why
he took some little pains to make himself unpleasant to you?"

Nasmyth fancied that she was really angry with Martial, and that he
understood her attitude. She was a capable, strong-willed woman, and
had constituted herself the ally of the unfortunate man who had
brought discredit on her by permitting himself to be shamefully driven
from the field. It was also evident that she resented the fact that a
guest from her husband's yacht should have been concerned in any
proceedings of the nature that the schooner's deck-hand had
described.

"I think I suspect why he was not cordial to me," Nasm