ome distance in front of Mrs. Lecount and
himself, took the wrong path, and immediately lost his way with the
most consummate dexterity. After a few minutes' wandering (in the wrong
direction), he reached an open space near the sea; and politely opening
his camp-stool for the housekeeper's accommodation, proposed waiting
where they were until the missing members of the party came that way and
discovered them.

Mrs. Lecount accepted the proposal. She was perfectly well aware that
her escort had lost himself on purpose, but that discovery exercised no
disturbing influence on the smooth amiability of her manner. Her day of
reckoning with the captain had not come yet--she merely added the new
item to her list, and availed herself of the camp-stool. Captain Wragge
stretched himself in a romantic attitude at her feet, and the two
determined enemies (grouped like two lovers in a picture) fell into as
easy and pleasant a conversation as if they had been friends of twenty
years' standing.

"I know you, ma'am!" thought the captain, while Mrs. Lecount was talking
to him. "You would like to catch me tripping in my ready-made science,
and you wouldn't object to drown me in the Professor's Tank!"

"You villain with the brown eye and the green!" thought Mrs. Lecount, as
the captain caught the ball of conversation in his turn; "thick as your
skin is, I'll sting you through it yet!"

In this frame of mind toward each other they talked fluently on general
subjects, on public affairs, on local scenery, on society in England
and society in Switzerland, on health, climate, books, marriage
and money--talked, without a moment's pause, without a single
misunderstanding on either side for nearly an hour, before Magdalen
and Noel Vanstone strayed that way and made the party of four complete
again.

When they reached the inn at which the carriage was waiting for them,
Captain Wragge left Mrs. Lecount in undisturbed possession of her
master, and signed to Magdalen to drop back for a moment and speak to
him.

"Well?" asked the captain, in a whisper, "is he fast to your
apron-string?"

She shuddered from head to foot as she answered.

"He has kissed my hand," she said. "Does that tell you enough? Don't let
him sit next me on the way home! I have borne all I can bear--spare me
for the rest of the day."

"I'll put you on the front seat of the carriage," replied the captain,
"side by side with me."

On the journey back Mrs. Lecount verifi