The Real Charlotte. 143 



pride and affection at a group of photographs of yachts in 

 different positions. 



" These are some of the best I have," he said ; " that's 

 my boat, and that is Mr. Lambert's." 



" Oh, the nasty thing ! I'm sure I don't want to see her 

 again ! and I shouldn't think you did either ! " with an un- 

 certain glance at him. It had seemed to her when, once or 

 twice before, she had spoken of the accident to him, that it 

 was a subject he did not care about. " Mr. Lambert says 

 that the upsetting wasn't her fault a bit, and he hkes going 

 out in her just the same. I think he's a very brave man, 

 don't you ? " 



" Oh, very," replied Christopher perfunctorily ; " but he 

 rather overdoes it, I think, sometimes, and you know you 

 got the worst of that business." 



" I think you must have had the worst of it," she said 

 timidly. " I never was able to half thank you — " Even 

 the equalising glow from the pink lampshades could not 

 conceal the deepening of the colour in her cheeks. 



" Oh, please don't try," interrupted Christopher, surprised 

 into a fellow-feeling of shyness, and hastily turning over the 

 yachting page ; " it was nothing at all." 



" Indeed, I wanted to say it to you before," persevered 

 Francie, "that time at the bazaar, but there always were 

 people there. Charlotte told me that only for you the pike 

 would be eating me at the bottom of the lake ! " she ended 

 with a nervous laugh. 



" What a very unpleasant thing to say, and not strictly 

 true," said Christopher lightly. "Do you recognise Miss 

 Mullen in this?" he went on, hurrying from the 

 subject. 



" Oh, how pretty ! " cried Francie, peering into a small 

 and dark picture ; " but I don't see Charlotte. It's the 

 waterfall in the grounds, isn't it ? " 



Pamela looked over from the piano again, amazed to hear 

 her brother's voice raised in loud laughter. There was no 

 denying that the picture was like a waterfall, and Francie at 

 first rejected with scorn the explanation that it represented 

 a Sunday-school feast. 



" Ah, go on, Mr. Dysart ! Why, I see the white water 

 and the black rocks, and all 1 " 



