She came out of her own sitting-room with red spots on her cheek-bones, which having provoked a question from her "beloved" charge, were accounted for by a curt "I have a headache coming on." But we may be certain that the talk being over she must have said to that young blackguard: "You had better take her out for a ride as usual." We have proof positive of this in Fyne and Mrs.Fyne observing them mount at the door and pass under the windows of their sitting-room, talking together, and the poor girl all smiles; because she enjoyed in all innocence the company of Charley.

She made no secret of it whatever to Mrs.Fyne; in fact, she had confided to her, long before, that she liked him very much: a confidence which had filled Mrs.Fyne with desolation and that sense of powerless anguish which is experienced in certain kinds of nightmare.

For how could she warn the girl?
She did venture to tell her once that she didn't like Mr.
Charley.

Miss de Barral heard her with astonishment.

How was it possible not to like Charley?
Afterwards with naive loyalty she told Mrs.Fyne that, immensely as she was fond of her she could not hear a word against Charley--the wonderful Charley.
The daughter of de Barral probably enjoyed her jolly ride with the jolly Charley (infinitely more jolly than going out with a stupid old riding- master), very much indeed, because the Fynes saw them coming back at a later hour than usual.