ry stones. Herself standing in the water, Lucilla drew her cousin
upright, and with a good deal of help from the guide, and much suffering,
brought her up the high bank, and down the rough steep descent through
the wood.

She had given her back and side a severe twist, but she moved less
painfully on more level ground, and, supported between Lucilla and the
guide, whom the mischance had converted from a comedy clown to a
delicately considerate assistant, she set out for the inn where the car
had been left. The progress lasted for two doleful hours, every step
worse than the last, and, much exhausted, she at length sank upon the
sofa in the little sitting-room of the inn.

The landlady was urgent that the wet clothes should be taken off; and the
back rubbed with whiskey, but Cilla stood agitating her small soaked
foot, and insisting that the car should come round at once, since the wet
had dried on them, and they had best lose no time in returning to Dublin,
or at least to Bray.

But Rashe cried out that the car would be the death of her; she could not
stir without a night's rest.

'And be all the stiffer to-morrow? Once on the car, you will be very
comfortable--'

'Oh, no! I can't! This is a horrid place. Of all the unlucky things
that could have happened--'

'Then,' said Cilla, fancying a little coercion would be wholesome, 'don't
be faint-hearted. You will be glad to-morrow that I had the sense to
make you move to-day. I shall order the car.'

'Indeed!' cried Horatia, her temper yielding to pain and annoyance; 'you
seem to forget that this expedition is mine! I am paymaster, and have
the only right to decide.'

Lucilla felt the taunt base, as recalling to her the dependent position
into which she had carelessly rushed, relying on the family feeling that
had hitherto made all things as one. 'Henceforth,' said she, 'I take my
share of all that we spend. I will not sell my free will.'

'So you mean to leave me here alone?' said Horatia, with positive tears
of pain, weariness, and vexation at the cruel unfriendliness of the girl
she had petted.

'Nonsense! I must abide by your fate. I only hate to see people
chicken-hearted, and thought you wanted shaking up. I stay so long as
you own me an independent agent.'

The discussion was given up, when it was announced that a room was ready;
and Rashe underwent so much in climbing the stairs, that Cilly thought
she could not have been worse on the car.