eat deal to be allowed to come
into your garden and pick for ourselves, but we are rather in a
difficulty, for this gentleman is giving a picnic this afternoon, and
Mrs McNab has no fruit to give us. It would be a favour not only to
us, but to the whole party if you would say Yes. _Please_!"

The way in which Margot said "Please!" with head on one side, and
upraised, beseeching _eyes_, was one of the most fatal of her
blandishments. Even the redoubtable Mrs McNab had succumbed at the
sight, and in her turn Mrs Forsyth also was overcome. She made no
further objections, but led the way through the house into a long
stretch of vegetable garden, the end portion of which was thickly
planted with raspberry bushes.

"Help yourself!" she said briefly. "You're welcome to all that's fit to
eat."

So the two who had been strangers, and had suddenly developed into a
kind of partnership of aim, set to work to fill the basket, which for
better convenience was slung over a branch of one of the bushes.

The sun shone down on them; the life-giving breeze blew round them; they
were alone together among the flowers and the scented herbs. They
worked side by side, laughing over their efforts, comparing their
takings, gloating over the quickly-filling basket like a couple of
children recognising each other as playmates, and disdaining the
ordinary preliminaries of acquaintanceship.

"It's so kind of you to help me!" said the man.

"It's so kind of you to let me!" returned the maid.

"I--I have noticed that you seem always to be helping people."

"I didn't think you noticed anything at all!"

He had not intended to say so much. She did not stop to consider what
she was implying. Both blushed, relapsed into silence, and picked fruit
assiduously for several moments, before beginning again--

"I am afraid this picnic will be a great bore to you."

"Indeed, I think it is going to be a pleasure. I should have thought of
it before, but that sort of thing does not come easily to me. I have
lived too much alone!"

"You have your work--you have been absorbed in your work."

"Have I? I'm afraid that is not altogether true!"

Margot glanced up surprised, met the dark eyes fixed full upon her, and
looked hurriedly away.

"I have been finding it increasingly difficult to be absorbed," he
continued dreamily. "I have heard you all laughing and talking together
downstairs, and my thoughts have wandered. Once you sang... Do yo