but her face was still hidden and the monotonous voice
continued, "We made a few advances during the last week or two."

The other passengers had gone out of the saloon, and it was very quiet
save for the soft flow of words and rattle of the pencil, when
Deringham once more unfolded the telegram.

"I am afraid it is going hardly with the man," he said suggestively.
"'My partner met with accident--his condition is critical.' The
message left Somasco yesterday."

There was a rustle at the adjoining table, and the girl's pencil fell
to the floor.

"Will you wait a moment, please?" a voice said, and the dictation broke
off abruptly, while when the girl rose Alice Deringham found herself
suddenly confronted with Miss Townshead. Deringham, who stood up, made
her a little decorous inclination.

"I am pleased to see you again," he said.

The speech was apparently lost upon the girl, who did not seem to
notice his daughter's greeting.

"I could not avoid hearing a few words of yours," she said. "Mr.
Alton--or his partner--is seriously ill."

Deringham handed her the telegram, and stood watching her curiously
while she read it. He saw her lips set a trifle, and a slight lowering
of her eyes, but though the girl seemed to draw in her breath he
fancied it was not with consternation.

"That is all we know," he said.

Miss Townshead gave him back the message, but Deringham did not see her
face, for she and his daughter seemed to be looking at each other.
They formed a somewhat curious contrast, for Alice Deringham appeared
taller and more stately than she was in her costly furs, and Nellie
Townshead very slight and almost shabby in her thin and well-worn
dress. Neither spoke for a moment, but the half-amiable condescension
in Miss Deringham's attitude was a trifle too marked.

"I am afraid that is all we can tell you," she said. "Mr. Alton has
evidently met with a serious accident, and we are going up at once to
Somasco to see what we can do for him."

Deringham moved a trifle and glanced at his daughter. She had said
very little, but there was a subtle something in her tone and bearing
which implied a good deal, and he fancied it was not lost upon Miss
Townshead.

The latter, however, glanced round towards her employer, and her face
was once more expressionless as she said, "Then I hope you will find
him progressing favourably, and it would be a kindness to my father and
myself if you or Mr. Seaforth would se