ng.

Without saying a disparaging word Herrick appeared to belittle the
efforts made by Owen and his fellows to enlighten the world; and since
everyone knows that the criticism of a non-worker is a hundred times
more irritating than that of a co-operator, Owen may be excused for
finding Herrick uncongenial.

And yet by nature Herrick was a kindly, cheery soul enough, who had been
fired in his youth by an excessive love for humanity--for all the
humanities. But shortly after his marriage he had faced a tremendous
crash; and though, when the first shock was over, he had pulled himself
together, and gathered up, as best he might, the fragments of his life,
he had lost for ever that eager, humane, half-Quixotic spirit which had
made his young manhood pass like a joyous race.

* * * * *

As time went on Owen got into the habit of spending most of his days in
town, where he found it easier to work than at home. He begged Toni to
tell him honestly whether she found herself lonely in his absence, but
Toni assured him truthfully that she was perfectly happy sitting in her
beautiful old garden or taking lunch and tea on the river, either alone,
or in the company of her friends, Molly and Cynthia Peach. Punting alone
was forbidden, but seeing Toni's disappointment, her husband had
purchased for her a stout little dinghy in which she was perfectly safe,
and this same craft was a source of delight to its owner.

At first Owen had asked Toni to come up to town with him, to do some
shopping or go to a _matinee_, but London in summer was no novelty to
Toni, and she infinitely preferred to stay at Willowhurst and amuse
herself in her own way.

One night it chanced that Owen arrived home much earlier than usual. The
weather had broken a day or two previously, and the air was heavy with
thunder. Consequently Owen's head ached furiously, with one of the
neuralgic headaches which since his accident he had good cause to dread;
and the fact that he had an important piece of work to finish without
loss of time fretted his nerves to racking-point.

London was particularly hot and malodorous to-day; and it was with a
sigh of relief that Owen steered his car away from the stuffy streets
towards the green and fragrant valley of the Thames. There was a coppery
glow in the sky which presaged a storm, and puffs of hot air blew
gustily into his face; but it would be fresher at Willowhurst, and if
the storm should