"Where do you put up to-night?" asked Helen of Otway, turning to him, when the other man had gone, with a brusque familiarity. "At the inn down in Redmire." "And what do you do to-morrow?" "Go to see the falls at Aysgarth, for one thing. There's been rain up on the hills; the river will be grand." "Perhaps we shall be there." When Piers had left them, Helen said to her friend "I wanted to ask him to stay and dine--but I didn't know whether you would like it." "I? I am not the hostess." "No, but you have humours, Irene. One has to be careful." Irene knitted her brows, and stood for a moment with face half averted. "If I cause this sort of embarrassment," she said frankly, "I think I oughtn't to stay." "It's easily put right, my dear girl. Answer me a simple question. If I lead Mr. Otway to suppose that his company for a few days is not disagreeable to us, shall I worry you, or not?" "Not in the least," was the equally direct answer. "That's better. We've always got along so well, you know, that it's annoying to feel there's something not quits understood between us. Then I shall send a note down to the inn where he's staying, to appoint a meeting at Aysgarth to-morrow. And I shall ask him to come here for the rest of the day, if he chooses." At nightfall, the rain-clouds spread from the hills of Westmorland, and there were some hours of downpour. This did not look hopeful for the morrow, but, on the other hand, it promised a finer sight at the falls, if by chance the weather grew tolerable. The sun rose amid dropping vapours, and at breakfast-time had not yet conquered the day, but a steady brightening soon put an end to doubt. The friends prepared to set forth. As they were entering the carriage there arrived the postman, with letters for both, which they read driving down to the dale. One of Irene's correspondents was her brother, and the contents of Eustace's letter so astonished her that she sat for a time absorbed in thought. "No bad news, I hope?" said Helen, who had glanced quickly over the few lines from her husband, now at Ostend. "No, but startling. You may as well read the letter."