specially so now, when we are
all shut up here together, and none can say what will happen to us."

"It seemed to me that was just the reason why I could speak about it,
Miss Hannay. We may none of us get out of this fix we are in, and I
do think we ought all to be friends together now. Richards and I both
agreed that as it was certain neither of us had a chance of winning you,
the next best thing was to see you and Bathurst come together. Well, now
all that's over, of course, but is it wrong for me to ask, how is it you
have come to dislike him?"

"But I don't dislike him, Mr. Wilson."

"Well, then, why do you go on as if you didn't like him?"

Isobel hesitated. From most men she would have considered the question
impertinent, and would have resented it, but this frank faced boy meant
no impertinence; he loved her in his honest way, and only wanted to see
her happy.

"I can't speak to him if he doesn't speak to me," she said desperately.

"No, of course not," he agreed; "but why shouldn't he speak to you? You
can't have done anything to offend him except taking up with Forster."

"It is nothing to do with Captain Forster at all, Mr. Wilson; I--" and
she hesitated. "I said something at which he had the right to feel hurt
and offended, and he has never given me any opportunity since of saying
that I was sorry."

"I am sure you would not have said anything that he should have been
offended about, Miss Hannay; it is not your nature, and I would not
believe it whoever told me, not even yourself; so he must be in fault,
and, of course, I have nothing more to say about it."

"He wasn't in fault at all, Mr. Wilson. I can't tell you what I said,
but it was very wrong and thoughtless on my part, and I have been sorry
for it ever since; and he has a perfect right to be hurt and not to
come near me, especially as"--and she hesitated--"as I have acted badly
since, and he has no reason for supposing that I am sorry. And now you
must not ask me any more about it; I don't know why I have said as much
to you as I have, only I know I can trust you, and I like you very much,
though I could never like you in the sort of way you would want me to. I
wish you didn't like me like that."

"Oh, never mind me," he said earnestly. "I am all right, Miss Hannay; I
never expected anything, you know, so I am not disappointed, and it has
been awfully good of you talking to me as you have, and not getting
mad with me for interfering. But I c