She left him soon and Dick lay still, frowning. It had been a trying interview and he doubted if he had come through it well, but hoped Clare would make allowances for his being ill. He did not want her to think him ungrateful, and had certainly no wish to punish her for what had happened in the past. But she had stolen his papers and he must get away. He was taken away next morning, with the consent of the doctor, who agreed that the air would be more invigorating on the hill. Clare did not come down to see him off and Dick felt strangely disappointed, although she had wished him a quick recovery on the previous evening. Kenwardine, however, helped him into his hammock and after the carriers started went back to the room where Clare sat. He noted that although the sun was hot the shutter was not drawn across the window, which commanded the street. "Well," he said, "Mr. Brandon has gone and on the whole that's a relief." "Do you know why he went so soon?" Clare asked. Kenwardine sat down and looked at her thoughtfully. He was fond of Clare, though he found her something of an embarrassment now and then. He was not rich and ran certain risks that made his ability to provide for her doubtful, while she had no marked talents to fall back upon if things went against him. There was, however, the possibility that her beauty might enable her to make a good marriage, and although Kenwardine could not do much at present to forward this plan he must try to prevent any undesirable entanglement. Brandon, for example, was not to be thought of, but he suspected Clare of some liking for the young man. "Yes," he said, "I know and sympathize with him. In fact, I quite see why he found it difficult to stay. The situation was only tolerable while he was very ill." "Why?" Kenwardine meant to tell her. It was better that she should smart a little now than suffer worse afterwards. "As soon as he began to get better Brandon remembered that we were the cause of his misfortunes. You can see how this complicated things." "But we had nothing to do with them," Clare said sharply. "What made him think we had?" "It's not an illogical conclusion when he imagines that he lost his papers in our house." Clare got up with a red flush in her face and her eyes sparkling. "It's absurd!" she exclaimed. "He must have been delirious when he said so." "He didn't say so in as many words; Brandon has some taste. But he was perfectly sensible and intended me to see what he meant." The girl stood still, trembling with anger and confusion, and Kenwardine felt sorry for her. She was worse hurt than he had expected, but she would rally. "But he couldn't have been robbed while he was with us," she said with an effort, trying to understand Dick's point of view. "He hadn't an overcoat, so the plans must have been in the pocket of his uniform, and nobody except myself was near him."