, sensitive face, who managed his crutches
with marvellous agility, and who was obviously neither husband nor
brother. The girls themselves received a full share of admiration from
the French and German visitors who are in the majority in Switzerland in
autumn. The eldest was so neat and dainty, with her pretty English
complexion and trim little figure; the tall, dark girl was _spirituelle_
and uncommon; while the third had an air _tres chic_, and would have
been quite _ravissante_ if she had been a trifle less pale and
_serieuse_, but even the surprising beauty of the scene seemed powerless
to bring a smile to her face.

It was chiefly owing to Mr Rayner's persuasion that Mr Bertrand had
left Westmoreland on the very day after that fixed for his daughter's
marriage. The painful duty of returning the wedding presents had been
accomplished, and it was so distressing to all concerned to remain in a
place where they felt themselves to be the subject of continual gossip,
that they were thankful to get away to fresh surroundings. They had
travelled straight through to Thun, engaging sleeping-carriages in
advance, and had been ensconced for over a week in the hotel on the
shores of the lake, taking daily excursions, and resting beneath the
broad verandah, while, by common consent, no reference was made to the
painful events of the past week.

"If we are going away, we must try to get as much good as we can from
the change. What is past, is past. There is no use fretting over it
any longer," Mr Bertrand had said; and Hilary found so little
difficulty in following his advice and being radiantly happy, that she
felt a pang of remorse when suddenly confronted by Lettice's pale face,
and reminded thereby of her sadness and Arthur Newcome's suffering.

Lettice had ceased to cry, but she was very silent, and her eyes wore a
strained, frightened look which it was sad to see in so young a face.
Everyone was studiedly kind to her, but Lettice was sensitive enough to
feel the effort which lay behind the kindness. Norah alone was just as
loving and whole-hearted as ever. Dear Norah! she had been shocked and
distressed beyond measure, but how loyally she had kept her promise to
help "every moment of the time"! During those two first awful days,
what a comfort it had been to have her near; to clutch that strong,
faithful hand when the others came into the room, and looked on from
afar with cold, sad eyes! Norah was the same, bu