’Pappa dear,’ she said, in an undertone—for there were one or two onlookers standing by—’if Ronald should decide on giving up his place here, and trying what you suggested, you’ll have to stand by him.’ ’Oh yes, I’ll see him through,’ was the complacent answer. ’I should take him to be the sort of man who can look after himself; but if he wants any kind of help—well, here I am; I won’t go back on a man who is acting on my advice. Why, if he were to come out to Chicago——’ ’Oh no, not Chicago, pappa,’ she said, somewhat earnestly, ’not to Chicago. I am sure he will be more at home—he will be happier—in his own country.’ She looked around once more; and then she stepped into the waggonette. ’He might have come to see me off,’ she said, a little proudly. ’Good-bye, pappa dear—I will send you a telegram as soon as I get to Paris.’ The two horses sprang forward; Miss Carry waved her lily hand; and then set to work to make herself comfortable with wraps and rugs, for the morning was chill. She thought it was very unfriendly of Ronald not to have come to say good-bye. And what was the reason of it? Of course he could know nothing of the nonsense she had written to her friend in Chicago. ’Have you not seen Ronald about anywhere?’ she asked of the driver. ’No, mem,’ answered that exceedingly shy youth, ’he wass not about all the morning. But I heard the crack of a gun; maybe he wass on the hill.’ And presently he said— ’I’m thinking that’s him along the road—it’s two of his dogs whatever.’ And indeed this did turn out to be Ronald who was coming striding along the road, with his gun over his shoulder, a brace of setters at his heels, and something dangling from his left hand. The driver pulled up his horses. ’I’ve brought ye two or three golden plover to take with ye, Miss Hodson,’ Ronald said—and he handed up the birds. Well, she was exceedingly pleased to find that he had not neglected her, nay, that he had been especially thinking of her and her departure. But what should she do with these birds in a hotel? ’It’s so kind of you,’ she said, ’but really I’m afraid they’re—would you not rather give them to my father?’ ’Ye must not go away empty-handed,’ said he, with good-humoured insistence; and then it swiftly occurred to her that perhaps this was some custom of the neighbourhood; and so she accepted the little parting gift with a very pretty speech of thanks. He raised his cap, and was going on. ’Ronald,’ she called, and he turned. ’I wish you would tell me,’ she said—and there was a little touch of colour in the pretty, pale, interesting face—’if there is anything I could bring from London that would help you—I mean books about chemistry—or—or—about trees—or instruments for land-surveying—I am sure I could get them——’ He laughed, in a doubtful kind of a way. ’I’m obliged to ye,’ he said, ’but it’s too soon to speak about that. I havena made up my mind yet.’ ’Not yet?’ ’No.’ ’But you will?’ He said nothing.