by bringing up water from the lake and by carrying pailfuls of dishes down to it, for which he received great commendation.  Mr. Perrowne had his ears boxed twice by Miss Halbert, it was said, for cheek.  Mr. Terry was called upon to deliver up his sacred charge, but demurred.  When the ladies made a raid upon his party to recover it, he fled, but Marjorie caught him by the coat-tails, and the spoil was wrested from him, although not before he had poured himself out a final three fingers in his tumbler.  Filling it up with ice-water, he drank to the success of the picnic, and especially to absent friends.  Mr. Bigglethorpe had been so long fishing in the sun that he thought a rest would do him good.  Accordingly, he lay down on his back with his hat drawn over his eyes, and composed himself to sleep.  Finally, the clergymen went over to where Mrs. Carmichael was sitting with Miss Halbert and Marjorie, while Miss Du Plessis, having had a chat with Miss Carmichael, invited her uncle and the veteran to go for a row in the skiff.  At first, these gentlemen were disposed to decline, but, when they learned that there was something to be seen, they changed their minds, and accompanied her and Miss Carmichael to the shore.

The colonel was entranced with the little lake, the clearing, and the chalet, as were Miss Carmichael and Mr. Terry.  It was decided that a guard, in the form of a caretaker, should be put over the place as soon as possible, and it was suggested that Timotheus and Tryphena would make an ideal pair of guardians.  While much of the land round about might be cleared to advantage, it was agreed that the wood around Tillycot lake should be left intact, save the breadth of a road to the main highway.  Then they fell to discussing Rawdon, a man plainly of extensive reading, of scientific attainments, of taste in architecture and house-furnishing, and yet an utterly unprincipled and unscrupulous villain.  “One would think,” said Miss Carmichael, “that the natural beauties of a place like this would be a check upon evil passions and the baser part of one’s nature.”  But the colonel answered, “In the wahah, Miss Cahmichael, I have seen soldiehs, even owah own soldiehs, wilfully and maliciously destyoying the most chahming spots of scenehy, without the least pohfit to themselves or matehial injuhy to the enemy.  The love of destyuction is natuhal to ouah fallen human natuhe.”  Mr. Terry corroborated this statement, and added, “Faix, it sames to me there’s jist two sarts an koinds av payple in the wurruld, thim as builds up an’ thim as batthers down.  For moy paart, I’d lafer build a log shanty an’ clane a bit land nor pull a palish to paces.”  Miss Du Plessis assented, but drew attention to the fact that Rawdon had cleared, built up, and beautified the place, and improved his mind on the one hand, while he was warring against society and law, robbing and even murdering, on the other.  “Mr. Errol said once,” rejoined Miss Carmichael, “that there are two opposite natures, an old