"Well, what about it, Ross?" broke in the making-the-best-of-it voice of little Mr. Brown, resting at last on his oars. "What about another of those chocolates?"
With one of his quickest movements Captain Ross's hand left the shadow of Olwen's cuff and grabbed the biggest chocolate walnut out of the box. He crammed it into the other young man's mouth as if it were a gag.
Then, unseen, his hand sought the girl's again, found it, held it close.
The boat sped on through the whispering wildfire....
CHAPTER XIV
CLOUDS UPON THE CHARM
"The burden of bright colours. Thou shalt see
Gold tarnished, and the grey above the green."
Swinburne.