“I hope Lawrence is not much the worse,” he said.

Lucy remembered the part she had taken and resolved to play it out.

“I expect he will be as well as usual after a rest.  You took a very generous revenge.”

Walters laughed.  “After all, I was only a little quicker than the rest and really ran no risk.  I was behind him and he couldn’t get hold of me.  In fact, I don’t know that I’d have had grit enough to stick to him if he had slipped.”

He left her and Lucy could find no fault with his reply, which she admitted was frank and modest.  For all that, her distrust had not been banished, and when, after a time, Lawrence came down, she said, “I suppose you’re now satisfied that it wasn’t Walters’ fault you were left on the couloir?”

“Aren’t you?” Lawrence asked with some surprise.

“No,” said Lucy firmly.  “I’m not quite satisfied.  You see, there were a number of accidents, all leading to one result.  Coincidences of that kind don’t happen unless somebody arranges them.”

Lawrence laughed.  “Then they’re not coincidences.  Do you still hold Walters accountable for the accidents?”

“If he was accountable, they wouldn’t be accidents,” Lucy rejoined with some color in her face.

“A fair retort!  But let’s be serious.  I’m not sure I’d have fallen off the log if I’d been left alone, but it’s very possible.  Walters’ help was useful, whether he saved my life or not, and you can’t deny that he meant to save it.”

“No; I think he meant to save you.  Did you know who it was when he touched you?”

“I did.  Remembering Jake’s theory, I saw it was possible he had come to push me off, but I knew he hadn’t.  That’s why I gave him my hand afterwards.”

“Ah!” said Lucy.  “I was sorry when you did that, because I knew what it meant”

Lawrence looked at her deprecatingly.  “I don’t like you to be prejudiced, dear, even on my account.  I can do nothing that might injure Walters now and can’t treat him with suspicion; but he’s going soon and, if it’s any comfort, I won’t leave the hotel grounds for the next day or two.  Anyhow I’ve rather overdone things lately.”

“Thank you for the promise,” Lucy said, and was glad when her mother joined them, for she felt baffled and wanted to think.

She hated Walters with a half-instinctive hatred that reflection showed her was justified; but beyond the concession he had made Lawrence would not be moved.  On the surface, so to speak, he was logical and she was not.  She was sure Walters had plotted to leave him on the couloir, although she admitted that he had meant to save his life when he turned dizzy upon the trunk.  It was possible that he had yielded to sudden generous emotion, but she did not accept the explanation.  The fellow was cold-blooded and calculating; she thought he had deliberately let his opportunity pass, because, after this, nobody would believe him guilty if he found another.  But he must not find an opportunity, and it was a keen relief to know that Foster would soon arrive.  She had not told Lawrence yet; it might be better to let Foster make an excuse for his visit.