not seen him! She had heard he had ridden over to the next station on
business for Mr. Hassal, but had not dreamed such 'a thing had
overtaken him. The fifth day she had seen him in the distance, once
coming out of the storeroom and looking exactly like himself, only
his shoulders stooped a little more, and once smoking outside his own
door.

The sixth day was the picnic.

Just as light-hearted and merry as the others she could not feel,
with this disappointment at her heart, this shaken trust in human
nature.

How weak he was, she thought, how ignoble!

All her pity was swept away in a young, large indignation.

She had hardly shaken hands when they had met in the morning,
and all the long drive she was persistently cold towards him.

After lunch the party became scattered. Judy took the General and
went over to the belt of trees; Pip and Bunty occupied themselves
with catching locusts; Baby and Nell gathered wild flowers. Meg
knelt down to collect the spoons and forks: and put the untouched
food back into the baskets away from the ants.

"I will do this--you look hot, Miss Meg; sit down quietly," Mr.
Gillet said.

"Thank you, but I prefer to do it myself," Miss Meg said, with