Mr. Falkirk was sitting with the paper in the tea-room at Chickaree.  A good lamplight gave him every temptation to lose himself in its manifold pages, but somehow the temptation failed.  Mr. Falkirk had been walking the floor for part of the evening; going then to one of the long windows and throwing it open—­there were no mosquitoes at Chickaree—­to look out at the moonlight, or perhaps to listen for the sound of wheels; but the Summer stillness was only marked by the song of insects and the light stir of leaves, and Mr. Falkirk went back to his musings.  His hand caressed his chin sometimes, in slow and moody deliberation.  No doubt the change was a serious one, from the quiet, unquestioned care of a schoolgirl, to the guardianship of a bright, full-winged butterfly of humanity.  That does not half express it.  For to the airy uncertainty of butterfly motions, his ward certainly added the intense activities of a humming bird, and the jealous temper, without the useful proclivities, of a honey bee.  I think Mr. Falkirk likened her to all these in his meditations; and his brows knit themselves into a persistent frown as he walked.  For all that, when the wheels of Mme. Lasalle’s carriage grated on the gravel sweep, Mr. Falkirk sat down to the table and the newspaper, and as Wych Hazel opened the door and walked in, Mr. Falkirk looked up sedately.  Then his face unbent, a very little, but he waited for her to speak.

‘Good evening, my dear Mr. Falkirk!’ Mr. Falkirk was not morose, but he made little answer beyond a smile.

‘I perceive you have been pining for my return, sir,’ said Miss Hazel advancing airily; ’but why you do not revive when I come, that puzzles my small wits.  Are you overjoyed to see me safe home, Mr. Falkirk?’

‘I wait to be certified of the fact, Miss Hazel.’

She came to a low seat before him, silently crossing her arms on her lap.

‘What are the developments of fortune, to-day, Miss Hazel?’ said her guardian with a relaxing face.

’A number of gentlemen, sir, and one fish.  Which I caught.  There were some ladies, too, but they came less in my way.’

‘Um!  So I understand you catch all that come in your way?’

’Only the fish, sir.  But you should have heard the people thereupon!  One cried, “Happy fish!”—­and another, “Happy Miss Kennedy!”—­And yet I suppose we had both of us known more ecstatic moments.’

’And what is your impression of fishing parties, judging from this specimen?’

’O, I was amused, of course.  But the brook was delicious.  You know, it was all new to me, Mr. Falkirk.’

‘Like the fairy-tale you wanted?’ said her guardian smiling.

She smiled, too, but her answer was only a sweet, ’Are you glad to see me here, sir?’

’I am glad if you are glad, Miss Hazel.  I did not suspect that any genie or enchanter had got hold of you yet.’

’Only “if,” ’ she said to herself.  ’I wonder how it feels to have anybody care for one very much!’ But no word of that came out.