d watching Eiderdown and
Snowflake as they came sailing proudly up the pond in all the majesty of
unruffled feathers, and Booty, as usual, pattered to the water's edge to
bark at them until he was hoarse, 'what is this that I hear about your
going away? Father tells me that you have made all sorts of plans for
yourself.'

'My money is burning a hole in my purse, you see,' he returned, picking
up a dry twig from the ground, a proceeding that seemed to drive Booty
frantic with excitement. 'I am beginning to realise my responsibility as
a man of property; and as, of course, my first duty is to look after
number one----'

But she would not allow him to finish.

'Michael, will you come and sit down? How can we talk properly while you
are picking up sticks for Booty?'

Then he followed her to the bench, but, instead of seating himself, he
leaned lazily against a baby-willow.

'I am going abroad with Dick Abercrombie,' he said, as though he were
mentioning an everyday occurrence. 'You know how often I have planned a
tour in Switzerland and Italy, but I have never been able to carry it
out; and now I can combine duty and pleasure.'

'Where does the duty lie, Michael?'

But she did not smile as she put the question, and it struck him that
she looked a little dull.

'Why, with Dick, of course,' he returned quickly. 'Don't you know, the
poor fellow is terribly out of health; his father is very anxious about
him. He has been over-working, and I fancy there is some sort of
love-affair as well; at least, the Doctor hinted as much. Anyhow, he is
to strike work for six months; and as he wanted a travelling companion,
I offered my humble services.'

'But you will not be away all that time?' she asked, with visible
anxiety.

'Six months is not so very long, is it?' he returned coolly; 'and I do
not see how we shall work out our plans even in that time. We are to do
Switzerland thoroughly and to spend at least a month in the Engadine;
then there are the Swiss Tyrol and the Italian lakes, and afterwards
Rome, Florence, Venice, and Naples. If Dick tires of it and throws it
up, I can still keep on alone. I want to do the thing properly for once
in my life, and I have even thought of Greece and the Holy Land the
following spring.'

But again she interrupted him, and this time he saw the pained look in
her eyes.

'You will leave us for all that time--you will let him come back alone,
and go on by yourself? Oh, Michael! what sh