e in the
courtyard again.

'What's the good of talking?' said Mark.

'Don't you think you ought to go down to Plymouth?' suggested Caffyn.

'No,' said Mark, 'I don't. How can I, now?'

'Oh, I know you're wanted for exhibition, and all that, but you could
plead business for one day.'

'What is the use?' said Mark. 'He will come to me as soon as he gets
to town.'

'No, he won't, my boy,' said Caffyn; 'he will go and see the Langtons
even before such a devoted friend as you are. Didn't you know he was
like one of the family there?'

'I have heard them mention him,' said the unhappy Mark, on whom a
dreadful vision had flashed of Holroyd learning the truth by some
innocent remark of Mabel's. 'I--I didn't know they were intimate.'

'Oh, yes,' said Caffyn; 'they'll make a tremendous fuss over him. Now
look here, my dear fellow, let's talk this over without any confounded
sentiment. Here's your wedding at hand, and here's a long-lost
intimate friend about to turn up in the midst of it. You'd very much
prefer him to stay away; there's nothing to be ashamed of in that. I
should myself if I were in your shoes. No fellow cares about playing
second fiddle at his own wedding. Now, I've got a little suggestion to
make. I was going down to Wastwater to-morrow, but I wouldn't much
mind waiting another day if I could only get a fellow to come with me.
I always liked Holroyd, you know--capital good chap he is, and if you
leave me to manage him, I believe I could get him to come. I own I
rather funk Wastwater all alone at this time of year.'

'He wouldn't go,' said Mark hopelessly.

'He would go there as readily as anywhere else, if you left it to me.
I tell you what,' he added, as if the idea had just occurred to him,
'suppose _I_ go down to Plymouth and catch him there? I don't mind the
journey a bit.'

'No,' said Mark; '_I_ am going to meet him. I must be the first to see
him. After that, if he likes to go away with you, he can.'

'Then you _are_ going down after all?' said Caffyn. 'What are you
going to say to him?'

'That is my affair,' said Mark.

'Oh, I beg pardon! I only meant that if you say anything to him about
this wedding, or even let him think the Langtons are in town, I may as
well give up any idea of getting him to come away with me. Look here!
you might do me a good turn, particularly when you know you won't be
sorry to get him off your hands yourself. Tell him you're going abroad
in a day or two (that's