"I suppose," went on Mr. Robert Carlaw, rapidly regaining his more joyous manner--"I suppose that one must expect that young birds will try their wings, and fly from the nest in time. I trust that he will fly strongly; I'm _sure_ he will fly strongly. But he was made for better things than to seek his fortune in the rough-and-tumble of the world. Like his unfortunate father, he is a disappointed man; he should have had a fortune, but for the caprices--there, there, we will say no more of that. I had hoped, too, that he might have remained, for another reason; I had almost believed that a childish attachment was ripening into--but no matter; time will show." Comethup glanced at 'Linda again; her face was still averted, but on her cheek he could see that a sudden flush had grown, and that her hands were toying nervously with a ribbon at her waist. Deep down in his heart a little sudden chill of uneasiness sprang up and clouded the day for him; he had a quick memory of the last time he had traversed that road in a carriage as a child, when he had seen his cousin and the girl strolling down a lane together, the boy's arm round her neck. He wanted to spring up and tell Mr. Robert Carlaw that it wasn't true, that no one wanted him there, and that he was spoiling everything and making every one unhappy. But he sat still, and for a time they drove on in silence. The picnic was not a success. The day was perfect, Homer's catering of the best, and the wine excellent; but, hovering over all, was the melancholy spirit of Mr. Robert Carlaw, accompanied, strangely enough, in Comethup's mind at least, by another spirit--that of a bright-faced, handsome fellow, wandering alone in a big city and fighting hard against desperate odds. Certainly Mr. Carlaw did his best to be agreeable; showed much alacrity in opening bottles and spreading out the contents of the basket; was eager in his attentions to Comethup, whom he persistently styled "my lucky nephew." Indeed, it became evident that he was anxious to ingratiate himself in Comethup's good graces; he pressed wine upon him, as though the feast had been of his giving; sat beside him and flattered him with talk of the boy's school career--of which he professed to have heard minute details; and generally endeavoured to be very lively and agreeable. After the meal was ended, and they had all regained something of their lost spirits, 'Linda laughingly announced that she was going to search for fairies in the wood, and ran off among the trees; Comethup sprang up and went after her. But even here Robert Carlaw was not to be shaken off; he cried out something about his youth returning, and plunged after them. The fairies were forgotten, and Comethup strolled sulkily beside her, with Mr. Robert Carlaw close at his elbow, swinging his stick jauntily and humming an air.