What was his own course to be? He believed himself defeated, but to
show any angry consciousness of it would be to make life very
uncomfortable in future, seeing that he and the Gaddesdens were
inevitably neighbours and old friends. After all, he had not committed
himself beyond repair. Why not resume the friendly relation which had
meant so much to him before other ideas had entered in? Ah! it was no
longer easy. The distress of which he was conscious had some deep roots.
He must marry--the estate demanded it. But his temperament was
invincibly cautious; his mind moved slowly. How was he to begin upon any
fresh quest? His quiet pursuit of Elizabeth had come about naturally and
by degrees. Propinquity had done it. And now that his hopes were dashed,
he could not imagine how he was to find any other chance; for, as a
rule, he was timid and hesitating with women. As he hung, in his
depression, over the river, this man of forty envisaged--suddenly and
not so far away--old age and loneliness. A keen and peevish resentment
took possession of him.

Lady Merton and Anderson began to ascend a long flight of steps leading
from the garden path below to the balcony where Delaine stood. Elizabeth
waved to him with smiles, and he must perforce watch her as she mounted
side by side with the fair-haired Canadian.

"Oh! such delightful plans!" she said, as she sank out of breath into a
seat. "We have ordered the engine for two o'clock. Please observe, Mr.
Arthur. Never again in this mortal life shall I be able to 'order' an
engine for two o'clock!--and one of these C.P.R. engines, too, great
splendid fellows! We go down the pass, and take tea at Field; and come
up the pass again this evening, to dine and sleep at Laggan. As we
descend, the engine goes in front to hold us back; and when we ascend,