The situation was so painful that he got up abruptly and again skipped stones. Until the fact that she let him do it, amused herself practising songs and drinking in the beauty of the place and the day, became quite too much for him. When he came gloomily over, she remarked:-- 'We must be starting back.' He stood motionless; even let her get up, with an amused expression throw his coat over her arm, and take a few steps along the beach. 'Oh, come on, don't go yet,' he begged. 'Why, we've only just got here.' 'It's a long walk. And it's hot. We'll never get back for dinner if we don't start. I mustn't keep Mildred waiting.' He thought, 'A lot she'd care if she wanted to be with me!' He said, 'What you doing to-night?' 'Oh, a couple of Chicago men are coming out.' 'Oh!' It was between a grunt and a snort. He struck out at such a gait that she finally said:-- 'If you want to walk at that pace I'm afraid you'll have to walk alone.' So far a failure. Just as with Humphrey, the situation had given him no opportunity to display his own kind of thing. The picturesque slang phrase had not then been coined; but Henry was in wrong and knew it. It was defeat. The first faint hope stirred when Mrs Henderson rose from a hammock and came to the top step to clasp his hand. She thought him a genius. Well, she had been accompanist through all those rehearsals for _Iolanthe._ She ought to know. She asked him now, in her alertly offhand way, to stay to dinner. He accepted instantly. 4 Mildred Henderson was little, slim, quick, with tiny feet and hands. Despite these latter she was the most accomplished pianist in Sunbury. She had snappy little eyes, and a way of smiling quickly and brightly. The Hendersons had lived four or five years in Sunbury. They had no children. They had no servant at this time--but she possessed the gift of getting up pleasant little meals without apparent effort. After the arrival of Corinne and Henry she disappeared for a few moments, then called them to the dining-room. 'It's really a cold lunch,' she said, as they gathered at the table--'chicken and salad and things. But there's plenty for you, Henry. Do have some iced tea. I know they starve you at that old boarding-house. We've all had our little term at Mrs Wilcox's.' 'I--I'm not living there any more. I've moved.' 'Not to Mrs Black's?' 'No... you see I work with Humphrey Weaver at the _Voice_ office and he asked me to come and live with him.' 'With him? And where does he live?' 'Why, just back of the old Parmenter place.' 'But there's nothing back of the Parmenter place!' 'Yes--you see, the barn----' 'Not that old red----'