He turned upon her, grinning openly.

"No. Fisher says I mustn't. I'm going to sit out, dear Mrs. Langdale--a
modest wall-flower for once. I hope you will all be very kind to me.
Have you made a note of Number Ten, Molly--I mean, Miss Erle? No? But
you will, though. Ah! Thanks, awfully! Here comes Fisher! I wish you
would persuade him to do Guildford Dudley. I can't."

He bounced off the rail and departed, laughing.

Molly looked after him with slight disapprobation on her pretty face. He
was such a thoroughly nice boy. She wished with almost unreasonable
intensity that he possessed more of that sterling quality, solidity, for
which his travelling companion, Fisher, was chiefly noteworthy.

Captain Fisher approached them with a casual air as if he had drifted
their way by accident. He was one of those oppressively quiet men who
possess the unhappy knack of appearing wholly out of touch with all
social surroundings. There was a reticence about him which almost all
took for surliness, but which was in reality merely a somewhat
unattractive mixture of awkwardness and laziness.

He was in the Royal Engineers, and believed to be a very clever man in
his profession. But there was never anything in the least bright or
original in his conversation. Yet, for some vague reason, Molly credited
him with the ability to do great deeds, and was particularly gracious to
him.

Mrs. Langdale, who was lively herself, infinitely preferred Charlie
Cleveland's boisterous company, and on the present occasion she rose to