rushed, into Mrs. Fyne's arms. Rather touching this. And so,
disregarding the cold impertinence of that . . . h'm . . . governess, his
wife naturally responded.

He was solemnly fragmentary. I broke in with the observation that it
must have been before the crash.

Fyne nodded with deepened gravity, stating in his bass tone--

"Just before," and indulged himself with a weighty period of solemn
silence.

De Barral, he resumed suddenly, was not coming to Brighton for week-ends
regularly, then. Must have been conscious already of the approaching
disaster. Mrs. Fyne avoided being drawn into making his acquaintance,
and this suited the views of the governess person, very jealous of any
outside influence. But in any case it would not have been an easy
matter. Extraordinary, stiff-backed, thin figure all in black, the
observed of all, while walking hand-in-hand with the girl; apparently
shy, but--and here Fyne came very near showing something like
insight--probably nursing under a diffident manner a considerable amount
of secret arrogance. Mrs. Fyne pitied Flora de Barral's fate long before
the catastrophe. Most unfortunate guidance. Very unsatisfactory
surroundings. The girl was known in the streets, was stared at in public
places as if she had been a sort of princess, but she was kept with a
very ominous consistency, from making any acquaintances--though of course
there were many people no doubt who would have been more than willing
to--h'm--make themselves agreeable to Miss de Barral. But this did not
enter into the plans of the governess, an intriguing person hatching a
most sinister plot under her severe air of distant, fashionable