appointment. I
thanked the butler and, remembering that even cathedral ushers accepted
tips, slipped a shilling into his hand. His dignity thawed at the silver
touch, and he expressed regret at Mr. Heathcroft's absence.

"You're not the only gentleman who has been here to see him this
morning, sir," he said. "Doctor Bayliss, the younger one, called about
an hour ago. He seemed quite as sorry to find him gone as you are, sir."

I think that settled it. When I again entered the rectory my mind was
made up. The decision was foolish, insane, even dishonorable perhaps,
but the decision was made.

"Hephzy," said I, "I have changed my mind. Travel may do me good. I have
telegraphed the Heptons that we will join them in Paris on the evening
of the twenty-first. After that--Well, we'll see."

Hephzy's delight was as great as her surprise. She said I was a dear,
unselfish boy. Considering what I intended doing I felt decidedly mean;
but I did not tell her what that intention was.

We took the two-twenty train from Charing Cross on the afternoon of the
twenty-first. The servants had been left in charge of the rectory. We
would return in a fortnight, so we told them.

It was a beautiful day, bright and sunshiny, but, after smoky, grimy
London had been left behind and we were whizzing through the Kentish
countryside, between the hop fields and the pastures where the sheep
were feeding, we noticed that a stiff breeze was blowing. Further on,
as we wound amid the downs near Folkestone, the bending trees and shrubs
proved that the breeze was a miniature gale. And when we came in sight
of the Channel, it was thickly sprinkled with whitecaps from beach to
horizon.

"I imagine we shall have a rather rough passage, Hephzy," said I.

Hephzy's attention was otherwise engaged.

"Why do they call a hill a 'down' over here?" she asked. "I should think
an 'up' would be better. What did you say, Hosy? A rough passage? I
guess that won't bother you and me much. This little mite of water can't
seem very much stirred up to folks who have sailed clear across the
Atlantic Ocean. But there! I mustn't put on airs. I used to think Cape
Cod Bay was about all the water there was. Travelin' does make such
a difference in a person's ideas. Do you remember the Englishwoman at
Bancroft's who told me that she supposed the Thames must remind us of
our own Mississippi?"

"So that's the famous English Channel, is it," she observed, a moment
later. "How