company."

He obeyed slowly and took a seat by her side, drawing so hard at his
cigar that the light of it shone upon his fare at every breath. He
passed his arm, firm and rigid as steel, behind her, with his hand
resting on the brickwork beyond.

"Are you warm enough?" he asked tenderly, as she made a little movement.
"Pretty fair," she shivered; "one oughtn't to be cold at this time of the
year, but there's a cold, damp air comes up from the well."

As she spoke a faint splash sounded from the depths below, and for the
second time that evening, she sprang from the well with a little cry of
dismay.

"What is it now?" he asked in a fearful voice. He stood by her side and
gazed at the well, as though half expecting to see the cause of her alarm
emerge from it.

"Oh, my bracelet," she cried in distress, "my poor mother's bracelet.
I've dropped it down the well."

"Your bracelet!" repeated Benson, dully. "Your bracelet? The diamond
one?"

"The one that was my mother's," said Olive. "Oh, we can get it back
surely. We must have the water drained off."

"Your bracelet!" repeated Benson, stupidly.

"Jem," said the girl in terrified tones, "dear Jem, what is the matter?"

For the man she loved was standing regarding her with horror. The moon
which touched it was not responsible for all the whiteness of the
distorted face, and she shrank back in fear to the edge of the well. He
saw her fear and by a mighty effort regained his composure and took her
hand.

"Poor little girl," he murmured, "you frightened me. I was not looking
when you cried, and I thought that you were slipping from my arms,
down--down--"

His voice broke, and the girl throwing herself into his arms clung to him
convulsively.

"There, there," said Benson, fondly, "don't cry, don't cry."

"To-morrow," said Olive, half-laughing, half-crying, "we will all come
round the well with hook and line and fish for it. It will be quite a
new sport."

"No, we must try some other way," said Benson. "You shall have it back."

"How?" asked the girl.

"You shall see," said Benson. "To-morrow morning at latest you shall
have it back. Till then promise me that you will not mention your loss
to anyone. Promise."

"I promise," said Olive, wonderingly. "But why not?"

"It is of great value, for one thing, and--But there--there are many
reasons. For one thing it is my duty to get it for you."

"Wouldn't you like to jump down for it?" she