water. It's only in some
nook of the sea, where there is no sand, when the wind outside has
died away, and when the tide is quiet and at its full. Then one can
drop gently in and almost fancy that one belongs to the sea as the
mermaids do. I wonder how the idea of mermaids first came?"

"Some one saw a crowd of young women bathing."

"But then how came they to have looking-glasses and fishes' tails?"

"The fishes' tails were taken as granted because they were in the
sea, and the looking-glasses because they were women," said Rowan.

"And the one with as much reason as the other. By-the-by, Mr. Rowan,
talking of women, and fishes' tails, and looking-glasses, and all
other feminine attractions, when did you see Miss Ray last?"

Rowan paused before he answered her, and looking round perceived that
he had strayed with Mrs. Cornbury to the furthest end of the meadow,
away from their companions. It immediately came across his mind that
this was the matter on which Mrs. Cornbury wished to speak to him,
and by some combative process he almost resolved that he would not be
spoken to on that matter.

"When did I see Miss Ray?" said he, repeating her question. "Two or
three days after Mrs. Tappitt's party. I have not seen her since
that."

"And why don't you go and see her?" said Mrs. Cornbury.

Now this was asked him in a tone which made it necessary that he
should either answer her question or tell her simply that he would
not answer it. The questioner's manner was so firm, so eager, so
incisive, that the question could not be turned away.

"I am not sure that I am prepared to tell you," said he.

"Ah! but I want you to be prepared," said she; "or rather, perhaps,
to tell the truth, I want to drive you to an answer without
preparation. Is it not true that you made her an offer, and that she
accepted it?"

Rowan thought a moment, and then he answered her, "It is true."

"I should not have asked the question if I had not positively known
that such was the case. I have never spoken a word to her about it,
and yet I knew it. Her mother told my father."

"Well?"

"And as that is so, why do you not go and see her? I am sure you are
not one of those who would play such a trick as that upon such a girl
with the mere purpose of amusing yourself."

"Upon no girl would I do so, Mrs. Cornbury."

"I feel sure of it. Therefore why do you not go to her?" They walked
along together for a few minutes under the rocks in silenc