daughter
in loving solicitude, she felt that Elsie was in safe-keeping, and so could
rest content.

During the drive to the depot, Dexie was all life and animation. She plied
Lancy with questions which she gave little chance to answer, until she
succeeded in getting Elsie's attention turned to outward things, and as
they drove rapidly along the road, they began to speculate whether any of
the occupants of the cabs that were going in the same direction were to be
fellow-travellers.

Hugh was unusually silent--perhaps it was just as well that he was--but the
rest of the party kept up such a stream of talk that his want of speech was
not remarked.

His heart was too sore for speech, for Dexie's cold, indifferent look cut
deeper than she knew. He had not been able to get a word with her since the
unfortunate interview on the roof, but he felt that he _must_ have one
parting word, and he kept revolving in his mind what he could say that
would likely win for him one word of forgiveness for his unguarded words.

But it was not easy to obtain even the smallest speech amidst the bustle
and distraction of the moving crowd at the depot. Lancy hurried the girls
into the car that they might have a choice of seats, then, leaving them
comfortably seated, he left the car to secure their tickets and checks.

Had it not been for the fact that amidst the hurry of gathering up the
wraps, etc., from the carriage, they had forgotten that ever-welcome
addition to one's travelling paraphernalia, the lunch-basket, Hugh might
have been unable to get a word from Dexie beyond the curt "good-bye" that
she had already cut and dried, as it were, and ready to fling out the
window at him at the last moment.

But Hugh's keen eyes observed the forgotten basket, that had been packed
with such care, and seizing it he entered the car, just as Lancy was
leaving it at the opposite door.

Lancy had wisely chosen the centre seats as being the most comfortable, and
Dexie sat chatting gaily to Elsie lest the home-parting should again come
before her mental vision, when she saw Hugh enter the car.

She had just time to compose her face into a look of solemn indifference,
when Hugh reached her side.

"You forgot the lunch-basket, Elsie," he said, looking across at Dexie who
sat facing her. "You left it in the carriage."

"Oh! so we did," said Elsie. "Whatever should we have done if you had not
seen it in time! Wasn't it lucky, Dexie, that he noticed it?