"Indeed. Then you engaged him with remarkably little prudence, as it appears to me."
"Prudence is not quite the highest virtue in the world."
"Now, my dear Queen Bess, as Jack calls you, don't be didactic. Where did you pick up this starveling tutor? Was he fainting by the roadside?"
"Mr. Stretton teaches very well, and is much liked by the boys, Percival. You heard Aunt Isabel tell the story of his first meeting with Uncle Alfred."
"Ah, yes; the rescue of the umbrella. Well, what else? Of course, he got somebody to introduce him in proper form after that?"
"No," said Elizabeth.
"No! Then you had friends in common? You knew his family?"
"No."
"Then how, in Heaven's name, Elizabeth, did he make good his footing here?"
There was a silence. The two were sitting upon the low bench on the cliff. It was evening, and the sun was sinking to rest over the golden waters; the air was silent and serene, Percival had been smoking, but he flung his cigar away, and looked full into Elizabeth's face as he asked the question.