ad laid aside her
attitude of resentment, and adopted a friendly camaraderie such as may
exist between brother and sister.

To-night, finding his remarks unanswered, Denis turned to his mother.

"I have a plan for to-morrow, old lady," he said--"a day off. What do
you say to a boating excursion up the river?"

Mrs. Quirk was still influenced by the vivid effect of her dream. It had
been peculiarly real, and had left a marked impression on her mind.

"Will Kathleen be coming?" she asked.

"Kathleen has not been asked," said the girl in a low voice.

"Miss O'Connor was included in my plan," said Denis.

"And will you come, honey? Sure, if I must be drowned, I would like to
have you beside me," said Mrs. Quirk.

Denis laughed at the reply, and Kathleen could not forbear from a smile.

"We will all go down together, and lie twined up in the bottom of the
river. It will make the fishes smile to see us," he laughed. "Be
prepared to-morrow, ten sharp."

Kathleen was sorely tempted to ask his advice in regard to Gerard.
Indeed, she went so far as to call him back as he was leaving the room,
but, when he turned, she asked:

"Have you any news of Desmond?"

"The best," he answered. "He is doing well. Did I do right to send him
away?"

"You did," she said; "but I could not foresee. Shall I thank you now?"

"No need to do that. I am always at your service."

"Denis meant that; every word of it all," said Mrs. Quirk, when her
son's footsteps had died away. "He is true to his friends, that boy is."

"I am sure that he is," replied Kathleen.

All night she lay between waking and sleeping, the events in the garden
returning constantly to disturb her. She still regarded Gerard as
something more than a friend; to-night she had stood on the threshold of
love. But she was afraid of him; the strange influence he exerted over
her had terrified her. What should she answer when he asked her to marry
him on his return, and what would she do without his companionship while
he was away? The morning found her still wearied with her night's
combat. It brought her a note from Gerard, written prior to his
departure. In it he urged Kathleen to join him in Melbourne, but all the
desire to do this had now left her. Last night in the garden she had
struggled almost vainly against his power, now she was able to realise
the folly and danger of that which he suggested.

The quiet party up the Grey River, with Denis Quirk rowing and Mrs.