odd things happen, when one comes to compare notes!"

While they had walked up and down, Lady Johnstone had paid no attention
to them, but she had grown restless as soon as she had seen that they
stood still at a distance to talk, and her bright blue eyes turned
towards them again and again, with sudden motherly anxiety. At last she
could bear it no longer.

"Brook!" she cried. "Brook, my dear boy!" Brook and Clare walked back
towards the little group.

"Brook, dear," said Lady Johnstone. "Please come and tell me the names
of all the mountains and places we see from here. You know, I always
want to know everything as soon as I arrive."

Sir Adam rose from his chair.

"Should you like to take a turn?" he asked, speaking to Mrs. Bowring and
standing before her.

She rose in silence and stepped forward, with a quiet, set face, as
though she knew that the supreme moment had come.

"Take our chairs," said Sir Adam to Clare and Brook. "We are going to
walk about a little."

Mrs. Bowring turned in the direction whence the young people had come,
towards the end of the terrace. Sir Adam walked erect beside her.

"Is there a way out at that end?" he asked in a low voice, when they
had gone a little distance.

"No."

"We can't stand there and talk. Where can we go? Isn't there a quiet
place somewhere?"

"Do you want to talk to me?" asked Mrs. Bowring, looking straight before
her.

"Yes, please," answered Sir Adam, almost sharply, but still in a low
tone. "I've waited a long time," he added.

Mrs. Bowring said nothing in answer. They reached the end of the walk,
and she turned without pausing.

"The point out there is called the Conca," she said, pointing to the
rocks far out below. "It curls round like a shell, you know. Conca means
a sea-shell, I think. It seems to be a great place for fishing, for
there are always little boats about it in fine weather."

"I remember," replied Sir Adam. "I was here thirty years ago. It hasn't
changed much. Are there still those little paper-mills in the valley on
the way to Ravello? They used to be very primitive."

They kept up their forced conversation as they passed Lady Johnstone and
the young people. Then they were silent again, as they went towards the
hotel.

"We'll go through the house," said Mrs. Bowring, speaking low again.
"There's a quiet place on the other side--Clare and your son will have
to stay with your wife."

"Yes, I thought of that, when I told them