Hugh was unusually silent—­perhaps it was just as well that he was—­but the rest of the party kept up such a stream of talk that his want of speech was not remarked.

His heart was too sore for speech, for Dexie’s cold, indifferent look cut deeper than she knew.  He had not been able to get a word with her since the unfortunate interview on the roof, but he felt that he must have one parting word, and he kept revolving in his mind what he could say that would likely win for him one word of forgiveness for his unguarded words.

But it was not easy to obtain even the smallest speech amidst the bustle and distraction of the moving crowd at the depot.  Lancy hurried the girls into the car that they might have a choice of seats, then, leaving them comfortably seated, he left the car to secure their tickets and checks.

Had it not been for the fact that amidst the hurry of gathering up the wraps, etc., from the carriage, they had forgotten that ever-welcome addition to one’s travelling paraphernalia, the lunch-basket, Hugh might have been unable to get a word from Dexie beyond the curt “good-bye” that she had already cut and dried, as it were, and ready to fling out the window at him at the last moment.

But Hugh’s keen eyes observed the forgotten basket, that had been packed with such care, and seizing it he entered the car, just as Lancy was leaving it at the opposite door.

Lancy had wisely chosen the centre seats as being the most comfortable, and Dexie sat chatting gaily to Elsie lest the home-parting should again come before her mental vision, when she saw Hugh enter the car.

She had just time to compose her face into a look of solemn indifference, when Hugh reached her side.

“You forgot the lunch-basket, Elsie,” he said, looking across at Dexie who sat facing her.  “You left it in the carriage.”

“Oh! so we did,” said Elsie.  “Whatever should we have done if you had not seen it in time!  Wasn’t it lucky, Dexie, that he noticed it?”

“Oh!  I suppose so,” was her indifferent reply, “but we could easily have bought something when we felt hungry.  I hope, Elsie, that you do not think we are going into a wilderness where people live on grass roots!” and she coolly leaned back in her seat, rearranged the pretty tie at her throat, then pulled a book from the strap, as if ready for the perusal of it when Hugh would be kind enough to relieve them of his presence.

But Hugh was not to be dismissed by hints.  Taking the seat by Elsie’s side, and opposite Dexie, he said:  “Still, I am sure you would have felt sorry to have forgotten it; you know it is the last home-cooking you will eat for some time, Elsie.”

Whereupon Elsie’s lip began to quiver, and a suspicion of moisture to appear in her eyes; a word more of home matters would cause the drops to fall into the handkerchief that Elsie was already pulling out of her pocket, in readiness to catch the coming shower.  Dexie could have boxed Hugh’s ears with a good grace, but she refrained.