coming over to England again."

"Indeed, how very nice," responded Lady Runnybroke quickly. "Did he say
so?"

"No. But Friddy says he is."

The two officers' wives glanced at each other. Lady Runnybroke put up
her eyeglass in default of ostrich feathers, and said didactically, "I'm
sure Mr. Atherly is very much in earnest, and sincerely devoted to his
work. And in a man of his wealth and position here it's most estimable.
My dear," she said, getting up and moving towards Mrs. Lascelles, "we
were just saying how good and unselfish your brother was in his work for
these poor people."

But Jenny Lascelles must have been in one of those abstracted moods
which so troubled her husband, for she seemed to be staring straight
before her into the recesses of the wood. In her there was a certain
resemblance to the attitude of a listening animal.

"I wish Mr. Atherly was a little more unselfish to US poor people,"
said the Hon. Evelyn Kayne, "for he and Friddy have been nearly an hour
looking for a place to spread our luncheon baskets. I wish they'd leave
the future of the brown races to look after itself and look a little
more after us. I'm famished."

"I fancy they find it difficult to select a clear space for so large
a party as we will be when the gentlemen come in," returned Lady
Runnybroke, glancing in the direction of Jenny's abstracted eyes.