ELAINE."

Anderson's fair skin flushed scarlet as he read this letter. He thrust
it into his pocket and continued to pace up and down in the patch of
half-cleared ground at the back of the Ginnells' house. He perfectly
understood that Delaine's letter was meant to warn him not to be too
officious in Lady Merton's service. "Don't suppose yourself
indispensable--and don't at any time forget your undesirable
antecedents, and compromising situation. On those conditions, I hold
my tongue."

"Pompous ass!" Anderson found it a hard task to keep his own pride in
check. It was of a different variety from Delaine's, but not a whit
less clamorous. Yet for Lady Merton's sake it was desirable, perhaps
imperative, that he should keep on civil terms with this member of her
party. A hot impulse swept through him to tell her everything, to have
done with secrecy. But he stifled it. What right had he to intrude his
personal history upon her?--least of all this ugly and unsavoury
development of it? Pride spoke again, and self-respect. If it humiliated
him to feel himself in Delaine's power, he must bear it. The only other
alternatives were either to cut himself off at once from his English
friends--that, of course, was what Delaine wished--or to appeal to Lady
Merton's sympathy and pity. Well, he would do neither--and Delaine
might go hang!

Mrs. Ginnell, with her apron over her head to shield her from a blazing
sun, appeared at the corner of the house.

"You're wanted, sir!" Her tone was sulky.

"Anything wrong?" Anderson turned apprehensively.

"Nothing more than 'is temper, sir. He won't let yer rest, do what you
will for 'im."

Anderson went into the house. His father was sitting up in bed. Mrs.
Ginnell had been endeavouring during the past hour to make her patient
clean and comfortable, and to tidy his room; but had been at last
obliged to desist, owing to the mixture of ill-humour and bad language
with which he assailed her.

"Can I do anything for you?" Anderson inquired, standing beside him.

"Get me out of this blasted hole as soon as possible! That's about all
you can do! I've told that woman to get me my things, and help me into
the other room--but she's in your pay, I suppose. She won't do anything
I tell her, drat her!"

"The doctor left orders you were to keep quiet to-day."

McEwen vowed he would do nothing of the kind. He had no time to be
lolling in bed like a fine lady. He had business to do, and must
get