"Everard! Everard!" gasped Carmel, clinging desperately to his arm. "Oh! Thank Heaven it's you! I'm lost!"
Everard comforted her for a while without asking any questions; then, when she had recovered calmness, he naturally wished to know why his pretty cousin was wandering in the country lanes by herself on a winter's evening. Man-like, he blamed the school instead of Carmel.
"They ought to have taken better care of you!" he murmured. "Why didn't the mistress hold a roll-call, and count you all?"
"It wasn't her fault. It was my own mistake!"
"Well, whoever's fault it was, the fact remains the same. You'd better get on Rajah, and I'll take you back to Chilcombe."
"Oh! that would be lovely. I'm so tired."
Perched on Rajah's back, with Everard walking by her side, life seemed a very different affair from what it had been five minutes before. Carmel enjoyed the ride, and was almost sorry when they reached the great iron gates of the Hall.
"Won't you come in and see Lilias and Dulcie?" she asked, as Everard helped her to dismount at the door.
"I haven't time to-night. I must get home in a hurry. I've an appointment with Mr. Bowden, and he'll be waiting for me."
"And I've kept you from it! Oh, I'm so sorry, Everard!"