at it is wonderful," Arnold answered. "I have never seen
anything of the river before--this part of it, at any rate."

Sabatini turned slightly towards Ruth, as though expecting an
introduction. His lips were half parted; he had the air of one about
to make a remark. Then suddenly a curious change seemed to come over
his manner. His natural ease seemed to have entirely departed. He
stood stiff and rigid, and there was something forbidding in his
face as he looked down at the girl who had glanced timidly towards
him. A word--it was inaudible but it sounded like part of a woman's
name--escaped him. He had the appearance, during those few seconds,
of a man who looks through the present into a past world. It was all
over before even they could appreciate the situation. With a little
smile he had leaned down towards Ruth.

"You will do me the honor," he murmured, "of presenting me to your
companion?"

Arnold spoke a word or two of introduction. Sabatini pulled up a
chair and sat down at once by the girl's side. He had seen the stick
and seemed to have taken in the whole situation in a moment.

"Please be very good-natured," he begged, turning to Arnold, "and go
and find my sister. She will like to know that I am here. I am going
to talk to Miss Lalonde for a time, if she will let me. You don't
mind my being personal?" he went on, his voice soft with sympathy.
"I had a very dear cousin once who was unable to walk for many
years, and since then it has always interested me to find any one
suffering in the same way."

There was a simple directness about his speech which seemed to open
the subject so naturally that Ruth found herself talking without
effort of her accident, and the trouble it had brought. They drifted
so easily into conversation that Arnold left them almost at once. He
had only a little distance to go before he found Fenella returning.
She was carrying a great handful of roses which she had just
gathered, and to his relief there was no expression of displeasure
in her face. Perhaps, though, he reflected with a sinking heart, she
had understood!

"Your brother has just arrived," he announced. "I think that he has
motored down from London. He wished me to let you know that he was
here."

"Where is he?" she asked.

"He is on the lawn, talking to Miss Lalonde," Arnold replied.

"I will go to them presently," she said. "In the meantime, you are
to make yourself useful, if you please," she added, holding out