entirely. There is scarcely any one whom I knew
twenty years ago; it is, I should have thought, quite natural that I
should go to see my old friends again after so long an absence."

He was trying to speak quietly and calmly. His heart was beating
furiously, but he knew that if he once lost control, he would lose,
too, his position. But, as he watched them, and saw their cold,
unmoved attitude his anger rose; he had to keep it down with both hands
clenched--it was only by remembering Robin that the effort was
successful.

"Natural to go and see them on your return--of course. But to return,
to go continually, no. I cannot help feeling, Harry, that you have
been a little selfish. That you have scarcely seen our side of the
question. Things have changed in the last twenty years--changed
enormously. We have seen them, studied them, and, I think, understood
them. You come back and face them without any preparation; surely you
cannot expect to understand them quite as we do."

"This seems to me, I must confess, Clare, a great deal of concern about
a very little matter. Surely I am not a person of such importance that
a few visits to the Cove can ruin us socially?"

"Ah! that is what you don't understand! Little things matter here.
People watch, and are, I am afraid, only too ready to fasten on matters
that do not concern them. Besides, it is not only the Cove--there are
other things--there are, for instance, the Bethels."

At the name Robin started. He liked Mary Bethel, had liked her very
much indeed, but he had known that his aunt disapproved of them and had
been careful to disguise his meetings. But the instant thought in his
mind concerned the Feverels. If the Bethels were impossible socially,
what about Dahlia and her mother? What would his aunt say if she knew
of that little affair? And the question which had attacked him acutely
during the last week in various forms hurt him now like a knife.

He watched his father curiously. He did not look as if he cared very
greatly. Of course Aunt Clare was perfectly right. He had been
selfishly indifferent, had cared nothing for their feelings. Randal
had shown plainly enough how impossible he was. Indeed the shadow of
Randal lurked in the room in a manner that would have pleased that
young gentleman intensely had he known it. Clare had it continually
before her, urging her, advising her, commanding her.

At the mention of the Bethels, Harry looked u