"It's strange you should say that, because just before you came out of the house I was thinking that I'd sat still long enough," Vane answered with a laugh. "It's a thing that gets monotonous. One must keep going on." "Then," said Jessie, "take care you don't walk over a precipice some day when you have left all the fences behind. But I've kept you from your meditations, and I had better see if Mrs. Nairn is coming." She left him, and he was lighting a cigar when he noticed a girl whose appearance seemed familiar in the road below. Moving along the verandah, he recognised her as Kitty, and hastily crossed the lawn towards her. She was accompanied by a young man whom Vane had once seen in the city, but she greeted him with evident pleasure. "Tom," she said, when they had exchanged a few words, "this is Mr. Vane," Then turning to Vane she added: "Mr. Drayton." Vane, who liked the man's face and manner, shook hands with him, and then looked back at Kitty. "What are you doing now, and how are little Elsie and her mother?" he inquired. Kitty's face clouded. "Mrs. Marvin's dead. Elsie's with some friends at Spokane, and I think she's well looked after. I've given up the stage. Tom"--she explained shyly--"didn't like it. Now I'm with some people at a ranch near the Fraser on the Westminster road. There are two or three children and I'm fond of them." Drayton smiled. "She won't be there long. I've wanted to meet you for some time, Mr. Vane. They told me at the office that you were away." "Ah!" said Vane, "I suppose my congratulations won't be out of place. Won't you ask me to the wedding?" Kitty blushed. "Will you come?" "Try," said Vane, and Drayton broke in: "There's nobody we would sooner see. I'm heavily in your debt, Mr. Vane." "Oh, pshaw!" rejoined Vane. "Come and see me any time: to-morrow, if you can manage it." Drayton said he would do so, and shortly afterwards he and Kitty moved away, but Vane, who turned back across the lawn, was not aware that Jessie had watched the meeting from the verandah and had recognised Kitty, whom she had once seen at the station. She had already ascertained that the girl had arrived at Vancouver in his company, which, in view of the opinion she had formed about him, somewhat puzzled her; but she said one must endeavour to be charitable. Besides, having closely watched the little group, she was inclined to believe from the way Vane shook hands with the man that there was no danger to be apprehended from Kitty. CHAPTER XIII A NEW PROJECT. Vane was sitting alone in the room set apart for the Clermont Company in Nairn's office, when Drayton was shown in. He took the chair Vane pointed to and lighted a cigar the latter gave him.