Owen. She'll slip in, and then there will be no end of a row up at
the house."

"You had better come round by the bridge," said Fitzgerald. "It is
not only that the stones are nearly under water, but they are wet,
and you would slip."

So cautioned, Lady Clara allowed herself to be persuaded, and turned
upwards along the river by a little path that led to a foot bridge.
It was some quarter of a mile thither, and it would be the same
distance down the river again before she regained her brother.

"I needn't bring you with me, you know," she said to Fitzgerald.
"You can get over the stones easily, and I can go very well by
myself."

But it was not probable that he would let her do so. "Why should I
not go with you?" he said. "When I get there I have nothing to do
but see him fish. Only if we were to leave him by himself he would
not be happy."

"Oh, Mr. Fitzgerald, how very kind you are are! I do so often think
of it. How dull his holidays would be in this place if it were not
for you!"

"And what a godsend his holidays are to me!" said Owen. "When they
come round I can ride over here and see him, and you--and your
mother. Do you think that I am not dull also, living alone at Hap
House, and that this is not an infinite blessing to me?"