The little bit of happiness at which the poor fellow snatched, seemed to make him more pathetic than before. Bernardine promised to tell his wife, and went off to find her, making as an excuse a book which Mrs. Reffold had offered to lend her. Mrs. Reffold was in her bedroom. She asked. Bernardine to sit down whilst she searched for the book. She had a very gracious manner when she chose. "You are looking much better, Miss Holme," she said kindly. "I cannot help noticing your face. It looks younger and brighter. The bracing air has done you good." "Yes, I am better," Bernardine said, rather astonished that Mrs. Reffold should have noticed her at all. "Mr. Allitsen informs me that I shall live, but never be strong. He settles every question of that sort to his own satisfaction, but not always to the satisfaction of other people!" "He is a curious person," Mrs. Reffold said smiling; "though I must say he is not quite as gruff as he used to be. You seem to be good friends with him." She would have liked to say more on this subject, but experience had taught her that Bernardine was not to be trifled with. "I don't know about being good friends," Bernardine said, "but I have a great sympathy for him. I know myself what it is to be cut off from work and active life. I have been through a misery. But mine is nothing to his." She rose to go, but Mrs. Reffold detained her. "Don't go yet," she said. "It is pleasant to have you." She was leaning back in an arm-chair playing with the fringe of an antimacassar. "Oh, how tired I am of this horrid place!" she said suddenly. "And I have had a most wearying afternoon. Mr. Reffold seems to be more irritable every day. It is very hard that I should have to bear it." Bernardine listened to her in astonishment. "Yes," she added, "I am quite worn out. He never used to be so irritable. It is all very tiresome. It is quite telling on my health." She looked the picture of health. Bernardine gasped; and Mrs. Reffold continued: "His grumbling this afternoon has been incessant; so much so that he himself was ashamed, and asked me to forgive him. You heard him, didn't you?" "Yes, I heard him," Bernardine said. "And of course I forgave him at once," Mrs. Reffold said piously. "Naturally one would do that, but the vexation remains all the same." "Can these things be?" thought Bernardine to herself. "He spoke in a most ridiculous way," she went on: "it certainly is not encouraging for me to spend another afternoon with him. I shall go sledging to-morrow." "You generally do go sledging, don't you?" Bernardine asked mildly. Mrs. Reffold looked at her suspiciously. She was never quite sure that Bernardine was not making fun of her. "It is little enough pleasure I do have," she added, as though in self- defence. "And he seems to grudge me that too."