Captain Trimblett rose with an alacrity that mystified Miss Willett more than ever, and, having gained the garden, found so many things to show Miss Hartley, and so much to talk about, that supper was on the table before he had finished. Fearful of being left alone with Miss Willett, he stuck to his young protector so closely that in going in at the door he trod on her heel. Miss Hartley entered the room limping, and, having gained her seat, sat eying him with an expression in which pain and reproachful mirth struggled for the mastery. “What a delightful evening!” she said, in an affected voice, as the captain walked home with her about an hour later; “I have enjoyed myself tremendously.” The captain uttered an impatient exclamation. “It reminded me of the old fable of the lion and the mouse,” continued Joan. The captain grunted again, and, in a voice that he vainly endeavoured to render polite, said that he did not know what she was talking about. CHAPTER XV MR. ROBERT VYNER received the news of Miss Hartley’s sudden departure with an air of polite interest. The secrecy of the affair and the fact that she had gone with Captain Trimblett convinced him that it was no casual visit, and he mused bitterly on the strange tendency of seafaring people to meddle with the affairs of others. An attempt to ascertain from Hartley the probable duration of her visit, and other interesting particulars, as they sat together in the young man’s office, yielded no satisfaction. “She made up her mind to go rather suddenly, didn’t she?” he inquired. Hartley said “Yes,” and murmured something about taking advantage of the opportunity of going up with Captain Trimblett. “She is very fond of the captain,” he added. “Is she staying near him?” asked Vyner, without looking up from his work. The chief clerk, who was anxious to get away, said “No,” and eyed him uneasily. “I hope that London will agree with her,” continued Robert, politely. “Is she staying in a healthy part?” “Very,” said the other. Mr. Vyner bent over his work again, and scowled diabolically at an innocent letter which said that his instructions should have immediate attention. “Which do you consider a healthy part?” he said presently. Mr. Hartley, after some reflection, said there were many districts which merited that description. He mentioned eleven, and was discoursing somewhat learnedly on drainage and soils when he noticed that the young man’s attention was wandering. With a muttered reference to his work, he rose and quitted the room.