Mr. Haveloc led the poney as slowly as he liked to go, stopping from time to time to gather wild flowers for Aveline. All at once the sun went in; the air became chilly--then the wind rose. Dark masses of ragged vapour came hurrying over the landscape, floating and drifting over the hills; now parting like a curtain, now collecting and settling in a dense mass that almost concealed the outline of the country. "It is the sea-fog. It is coming towards us!" cried Mrs. Fitzpatrick. "What are we to do with Aveline?" She looked really bewildered. "Oh, my dear mamma, don't mind me," said Aveline; "Mrs. Grant's cottage is at the end of the lane; I will go in there till the fog is past." "Let us make haste then, Mr. Haveloc," said Mrs. Fitzpatrick, mending her pace; "the fog travels fast. She will be wet. What will become of us?" "Can you go faster?" asked Mr. Haveloc, who was urging the pony as fast as he could walk. "No; my head swims," said Aveline. She could not bear anything like agitation or hurry. Mrs. Grant, who had just arrived from church by a path across the fields, was all astonishment when she saw the party coming briskly towards the cottage door. She stepped out of the little garden gate to meet them. "Why, Miss Aveline, my dear young lady, what brings you out so far from home?" she asked. Aveline was too flurried to speak. Mrs. Fitzpatrick began her explanations, but they were interrupted in the midst, for Aveline, after a vain attempt to get off the poney, sank into Mr. Haveloc's arms, and fainted away. Mrs. Grant was terribly frightened. She thought at first that Aveline was dead. Mrs. Fitzpatrick was as usual, calm and prompt. "Don't go away," were her first words when she recovered, turning her eyes in search of Mr. Haveloc. "Tell me when you are quite restored, that I may have the pleasure of scolding you," he said, coming up to her chair. "I do not know what business you have to frighten us in this way." "I will tell you what, dear Mrs. Grant," said Aveline, "we will send for our dinner to add to yours, and we will all dine together. It will be something like a pic-nic." Mrs. Fitzpatrick agreed. Aveline could not move at present, and she must not be kept waiting for her dinner. Mr. Haveloc offered to walk home, and give what orders Mrs. Fitzpatrick pleased. "And be sure to come back and dine with us," said Aveline, eagerly. "Have a little mercy on him, Aveline," said Mrs. Fitzpatrick, smiling; "he may not be quite so fond of pic-nics as you are." But Aveline insisted; and Mr. Haveloc readily promised that he would come back to dine. "Is not it nice, Mr. Haveloc?" said Aveline, when they were all seated round the little table in Mrs. Grant's kitchen. Aveline being in the old lady's easy chair, supported with pillows.