under-keeper now, or a water-bailiff, or even a gillie looking after the dogs and the ponies, he could have met the gaze of those clear hazel eyes without shame. But here he was the coadjutor of this grimacing clown; and she was sitting in her box there--and thinking. "What is it, Leo?" said Nina, coming up to him rather timidly. "You are annoyed." "I have made a mistake, that is all," he said, rather impatiently. "I shouldn't have persuaded those two ladies to come to the theatre; I forgot what kind of thing we played in; I might as well have asked them to go to a penny gaff. Collier is worse than ever to-night." "And you better, Leo," said Nina, who had always comforting words for him. "Did you not hear how enthusiastic the audience were? And if this is the young lady you told me of--who was so friendly in Scotland that she did not fear ridicule for herself in order to save you from the possibility of ridicule--surely she will be so well-wishing to you that she will understand you have nothing to do with the foolishness on the stage." "If you are thinking of that salmon-fishing incident," he said, rather hastily, "of course you mustn't imagine there was any fear of _her_ encountering any ridicule. Oh, certainly not. It was no new thing for her to get wet when she was out fishing--" "At all events, it was a friendly act to you," said Nina, on whom that occurrence seemed to have made some impression. "And if she is so generous, so benevolent towards you, do you think she will not see you are not responsible for the comic business?"