There was marl on his riding-breeches.
Cardross continued to examine the work in progress through his binoculars.

Presently he said: "You've been overdoing it, haven't you, Hamil?
My wife says so." "Overdoing it ?" repeated the young man, not understanding.

"Overdoing what ?" "I mean you've a touch of malaria; you've been working a little too hard." "He has indeed," drawled Mrs.Cardross, laying aside her novel; and, placidly ignoring Hamil's protests: "Neville, you drag him about through those dreadful swamps before he is acclimated, and you keep him up half the night talking plans and making sketches.

He is too young to work like that." Hamil turned red; but it was impossible to resent or mistake the kindly solicitude of this very large and leisurely lady whose steadily increasing motherly interest in him had at times tried his dignity in that very lively family.
That he was already a successful young man with a metropolitan reputation made little or no impression upon her.

He was young, alone, and she liked him better and better every day until that liking arrived at the point where his physical welfare began to preoccupy her.