."

"Oh, was your mother a rotter?" said Toby, with sudden interest.

He nodded. "We don't talk about her much, Maud and I. She married a
second time--a brute of a man who used to run the Anchor Hotel. They went
to Canada, and she died."

"The Anchor Hotel!" said Toby. "That place at Fairharbour down by the
shore?"

"Yes, Maud and I were there too at first. I was a cripple in those days,
couldn't even walk. We had a fiendish time there--till Jake came."

"Ah!" Toby's blue eyes suddenly gleamed. "Did Maud marry Jake to get
away?" she asked.

Bunny nodded again and began to smile. "Yes. We were in a beastly hole,
she and I. Something had to be done."

"She didn't love him then?" questioned Toby, almost with eagerness.

"Oh no, not then. Not till long after. Jake and I were the pals. He was
always keen enough on her, poor chap. But Charlie complicated matters
rather in those days. You see, Charlie came first--before she ever met
Jake."

"Charlie?" said Toby quickly.

"Lord Saltash. You knew he was an old friend, didn't you?"

"I didn't know--that he--and Maud--ever loved each other." Toby halted
over the words as if they were somehow difficult to utter.

Bunny enlightened her with a boy's careless assurance. "Oh, that's a very
old story. They were very fond of each other in their youth. In fact they
were practically engaged. Then Charlie, who has always been a bit giddy,
went a bit too far with Lady Cressady who was also a somewhat gay young
person, and Sir Philip Cressady, who was a brute, tried to divorce her.
He didn't succeed. The case fell through. But it set everyone by the
ears, and Maud threw Charlie over. He pretends he didn't care, but he
did--pretty badly, and he's never married in consequence."

"Oh, is that why?" said Toby.

"That's why. He's gone the pace fairly rapidly ever since. But he's a
good chap at heart. Even Jake acknowledges that now, and he knows him as
well as anyone."

"And--Maud?" said Toby, in a low voice. She was not looking at Bunny, but
staring out over the still waters of the lake with a rather piteous
intentness.

"Maud has always kept a soft place in her heart for him. She couldn't
help it. Women can't."

"I see," said Toby. "And doesn't--Jake--mind?"

"Jake? No, not a bit. He's sure of her now. She thinks there's no one
like him in the world. And she's quite right. There's not." Bunny spoke
with warm enthusiasm.

Toby's brows were drawn a little. "Then--she isn't