“What sort of accident?” said Miss Silver.

“We were bathing. I’m not a very good swimmer – I couldn’t get in. He and Rafe and Alicia were laughing and splashing each other – they didn’t hear me call. I was nearly drowned. It was an accident. But that’s what they said-”

The voices drowned her own voice with a sudden surge of sound which filled her ears:

“Is she going to have an accident too?”

And then the other:

“My dear, she’s just had one – fished up out of the sea like a drowned cat. Dale doing the broken-hearted widower for the second time. Practice makes perfect, but this time it was a bit premature. She came round, and he hasn’t got the money – yet.”

“Who was tactless enough to save her?” There was a drawled “Not Dale.” Lisle’s hand dropped into her lap. It was no good, she had to listen.

Miss Silver’s voice came to her, saying quietly,

“But you were not drowned. Who saved you?”

“Not Dale,” said Lisle Jerningham.

Chapter 3

THE train slowed down to the curve by Cranfield Halt. Sometimes it stopped there, and sometimes it did not. Today it was going to stop. There were half a dozen passengers waiting in the open country platform, and four of them precipitated themselves into the carriage in which Miss Silver had hoped to continue a very interesting conversation. They pushed between her and the pale girl who had just been saying such startling things – a hearty, comely mother and three children from six to sixteen, all off to town for the day to visit their relations. The carriage became filled with their voices, their opinions, their criticisms, their anticipations. They all talked at once.