"You are worn out, for one thing," she answered sympathetically.
He mused for a few moments, and the girl was not displeased. From the first she had felt on curiously confidential terms with him. He was direct and sincere and, though by no means shallow, he seldom puzzled her.
"No," he said, "it's not altogether that. We had a rather bad time before the relief party arrived, but I felt up to my work—anxious, of course, but not troubled by the slackness that has since got hold of me. All this, however, isn't of much consequence. I'm very grateful to you and your father for sending help—we were in a very tight place when it came. But I don't understand how you knew we needed it."
Geraldine looked down, to hide her confusion.
"I wonder why you associate me with my father?"
"I can't tell you clearly, but I feel that you had something to do with the matter. Indeed, it made the relief more welcome. But you haven't given me an explanation."
"Do you understand why you failed to find the food?"
"Yes," said Andrew grimly. "I've a suspicion that you know as much about it as I do, though it's hard to see how you came by the knowledge."
Geraldine looked up with a forced smile. He must not guess how she had led Mappin to betray himself.
"It is rather astonishing, isn't it? The search gave you trouble, and you have some respect for your thinking powers."