"I am so sorry to have brought you back!" I said, forestalling accusation. "I thought you would go on." Cornelius stopped short--we were once more walking homewards--to give me an amazed look, and say in a half indignant tone: "Go on, and leave you alone at this hour with a strange young man!" "He is not strange," I replied, feeling the blush he could not see; "I have known him since we were both children; and Kate can tell you he is only a boy." "A boy scarcely younger than I am," pointedly replied Cornelius. I thought it odd that both he and William should come to conclusions so similar with regard to their respective ages, but I did not venture to reply. Not another word was spoken until we reached the foot of the cliff on which rose our home; then, from the garden above was heard the anxious voice of Kate, exclaiming: "Have you found her, Cornelius?" "Yes," he replied, "she is quite safe." I was dismayed at this proof of the uneasiness I had made them feel. Kate received me very sharply. "I am astonished at you," she said, "to choose the very moment when you are troubled with a headache, and Cornelius is gone for the physician, to run down to the sands!" "You know, Kate, I was better; besides I thought I saw him coming, and went to meet him; but it proved to be William Murray." "The young bear--what brought him back?" "He has been wrecked." "Nonsense! wrecked! he has been spinning a yarn to you, Daisy." "I never yet knew William to tell an untruth," I replied, a little indignantly. "Truth or not, were you to make us anxious just to listen to the stories of that boy. Cornelius has come back from Italy with banditti notions; and he would have it that some ill-looking fellows, whom he met as he was going, had lingered on the beach until dusk to waylay you. So off he ran like a madman. Look at him. See how pale he is still!" Cornelius, who had lingered behind, entered the parlour as his sister spoke; my heart smote me to see that he was deadly pale. He sat down by the table, leaned his elbow upon it, and rested his brow on the palm of his hand, so that his face was shaded from the light. "Cornelius, what ails you?" asked Kate. "I am tired," he answered, without looking up. "Dr. Reeves was out, so I went for Dr. Simpson." "Why that is three miles further off." "Just so, that is what tired me. He too was out." Kate gave me a reproachful look; but indeed there was no need; my conscience troubled me sorely for the heedlessness which had added unnecessary fatigue and alarm to that his ardent affection had already caused him to undergo for my sake. I longed to make some atonement; to offer some explanation; but he gave me no opportunity; he left early, and it was only by his not coming down again, that we knew he had left us for the evening.