n
intent silence which printed every detail so deeply in his memory that
no passage of time could wear them away. The loose ends of hair which
escaped from the coils and curled on her white neck, the long
transparent hands against the blue cushions, the slight figure in the
white dress--how often that vision arose before him in the years to
come!

As of old, Cynthia's friendliness showed no hint of embarrassment, and
she chatted away as easily as if the separation had lasted for weeks
instead of years. Betty had tactfully rejoined Mrs Alliot, and for the
next half-hour Miles was allowed an uninterrupted _tete-a-tete_.

"Tell me all about everything!" cried Cynthia, just as years before she
had demanded an account of Miles' engineering studies; and when he
protested, "Oh, it's quite easy," she maintained, "Tell me the history
of a day. You wake in the morning, and get up, and then--what next? Go
through the whole programme until it is time to go to bed again."

Then Miles spoke, and she listened eagerly, the flush dying out of her
cheeks and a wistful expression deepening in her eyes.

"It's just as I said long ago," she sighed plaintively when he had
finished; "you have gone out into the world and done things, and I have
stayed at home and done--_nothing_! Oh, Miles, it was hard being taken
ill just then! Father had come home, and we were looking forward to
travelling about, and having a good time together, and being so happy.
I had finished classes, and was old enough to come out, and I meant to
be such a good daughter, and to take care of the parents for a change,
after being taken care of all my life. I was going to my first ball--my
dress was in the house--when I caught influenza, and since then"--she
threw out her arms with an expressive gesture--"it's been this sort of
thing all the time! Lying still--eating--sleeping--being waited on hand
and foot; an anxiety instead of a help; a care instead of a joy--oh, and
I _did_ want to be a joy!" She paused a moment to press her lips
together, and to give her head an impatient shake. "I mustn't be silly!
Father and mother don't guess that I feel like this, and it isn't
always so bad. Some days I feel quite bright and happy, especially
lately, since I've been getting better, but seeing you brought back the
dear old days, and oh, I _want_ to be well again, and run about with you
on the sands. I shan't be able to go about with you at all."

"I will come and s