very kind of you to go though, and I feel quite guilty. If it hadn’t been for my insensate news-hunger, you wouldn't have had a spill. Now then, you can set to; I am sure you must be famished.’
Lesbia set to with a good appetite, after her ride and tumble. Presently she said,—
‘Now, Mr Whyte, pray don’t stand on ceremony with me; do open your paper—I know you're longing to.’
‘Yes, do, John,’ assented his wife; ‘we should all like to hear what’s going on, especially since this report about the French and Americ— ‘There now, what on earth is making the windows rattle? Good gracious!’
‘They're not rattling, Bessie dear,’ said her husband; ‘what’s the matter, are you getting steam mill on the brain too?’
Then turning to Lesbia as he unfolded the paper,—
‘Going to bathe this fine day, I suppose?’
‘Yes, in the afternoon,’ she replied, ‘when the tide flows up. I shall wait till it fills my old pool behind the rocks, where I can get a good depth without having to struggle against currents, which is not very safe. I’m sorry it'll be my last dip, in all probability, I’ve enjoyed my swims in the ocean water, and feel the benefit of them; they’ve quite washed London out of me. Well, like all good things, they must—’
‘Must what, you were going to say?’ asked Mr Whyte, as Lesbia broke off her sentence and looked round.
‘Surely,’ she said, ‘I heard that same noise again; didn’t you hear something, Mrs Whyte?’
‘I was just thinking so,’ she answered; ‘but I suppose John’s right, it’s only fancy. Anyhow, there can be no harm in taking a peep out of doors, just to satisfy my mind. I won't be a second.’
Before Mr Whyte could get his uncut sheet turned
