Nell of Shorne Mills

"You are surprised to see me, Luce?" he said.

"Of course I am," she replied. "I'd no idea where you were. I've written

to you--twice."

"Have you?" he said. "That was good of you. I've not had your letters;

but that's my fault, not yours. I told Sparling not to send any letters

on."

She looked down, as if rather embarrassed, and dug at the interstices of

the rough stone pavement with her dainty, and altogether unnautical,

sunshade.

"But what are you doing here?" she asked. "And--and what's the matter

with your arm? Isn't that a sling?"

"Yes, it's a sling," he said casually. "I'd been hunting with the Devon

and Somerset; I found London unbearable, and I came down here suddenly.

I meant to write and tell you; but just then I wasn't in the humor to

write to any one, even to you. I lost my way in one of the runs, and was

riding down the top of the hill here, riding carelessly, I'll admit, for

when the horse shied, I was chucked off. I broke my arm and knocked my

head. Oh, don't trouble," he added hastily, as if to ward off her

commiseration. "I am all right now; the arm will soon be in working

order again."

"I'm very sorry," she said, lifting her eyes to his, but only for a

moment. "You look rather pulled down and seedy."

"Oh, I'm all right," he said. "And now, as I have explained my presence

here, perhaps you will explain yours."

"I've come here in the _Seagull_," she said. "Father's on board. He said

you'd offered to lend the yacht to him--you did, I suppose?"

Drake nodded indifferently.

"Oh, yes," he said. "The _Seagull_ was quite at your father's service."

"Well, father made a party; Sir Archie Walbrooke, Mrs. Horn-Wallis and

her husband, Lady Pirbright, and ourselves."

Drake nodded as indifferently as before. He knew the persons she had

mentioned; members of the smart set in which he had spent his life--and

his money; and Lady Lucille continued in somewhat apologetic fashion: "We went to the Solent first, for the races; then, when they were all

over, everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves so much that

father--you know what he is--suggested that we should sail round the

Devon coast. It hasn't been a bad time; and Sir Archie has been rather

amusing, and Mrs. Horn-Wallis has kept things going. Oh, yes; it hasn't

been so bad."