Then, half impatiently, half angrily, Arminell flung the crimson-covered novel of Gaboriau far out into the air, to fall on or near Saltren, in the hopes of directing his attention to her position. He saw the fluttering book in the air, and stretched forth his hands to receive it. The book whirled about, expanded, turned over, shut, and shot down into the pond, where it floated one moment with its red cover upwards. Captain Saltren was engrossed in interest to see and to secure the book, he sculled towards it, stooped over the water to grasp it, lost balance, and fell forward, and in his effort to recover the volume and save himself from immersion, touched it, and the book went under the raft and disappeared. The attempt to attract attention to herself had failed, and Arminell uttered an exclamation of vexation. CHAPTER V. INFECTION. A touch on Arminell’s shoulder made her turn with a start. She saw behind her an old woman who had approached along the ledge, unobserved, supporting herself by the strands of ivy in the same manner as herself. Arminell had been standing leaning against the rock, her eyes and attention occupied with Captain Saltren, and so had not noticed the stealthy progress of the woman. “See here, miss,” said the new arrival, “I have come to help you in the proper way. Lord love y’ what’s the good o’ calling to that half mazed man there? By the road you came, by that you must return. Here be ivy bands enough for both. Take half yourself and follow me, or if you’d rather, go on before. Don’t look at your feet, look ahead.” “Who are you?” asked Arminell in surprise. “Won’t you accept help till you know who she is that offers it?” asked the woman with a laugh. “Do you object to lean on a stick till you know the name of the tree whence it was cut? I’m not ashamed of what I’m called, I’m Patience Kite, that lives in the thatched cottage under the wood at the end of the quarry. I saw how you came to this place, and how you have thrown your book at the captain, because he looked every way but the right one when he was called. There’s perversity in all things, miss, as you’ll discover when you’re a bit older. Them as we call to come to us don’t look our way, and them as we ain’t thinking about offer us the helping hand.” Arminell took the proffered ivy ropes, and began to retrace her steps along the face of the precipice, but was unable, whilst so doing, to resist the temptation to look and see if Captain Saltren had as yet observed her, but she saw that he was still diving his arms into the water after the sunken volume, and was unconscious that any one watched him.