"Yes," and hastened away to join Cornelius, who was coming to meet me with a face so overcast, that I saw I was again at fault.
"I am so sorry to have brought you back!" I said, forestalling accusation. "I thought you would go on."
Cornelius stopped short—we were once more walking homewards—to give me an amazed look, and say in a half indignant tone:
"Go on, and leave you alone at this hour with a strange young man!"
"He is not strange," I replied, feeling the blush he could not see; "I have known him since we were both children; and Kate can tell you he is only a boy."
"A boy scarcely younger than I am," pointedly replied Cornelius.
I thought it odd that both he and William should come to conclusions so similar with regard to their respective ages, but I did not venture to reply. Not another word was spoken until we reached the foot of the cliff on which rose our home; then, from the garden above was heard the anxious voice of Kate, exclaiming:
"Have you found her, Cornelius?"
"Yes," he replied, "she is quite safe."
I was dismayed at this proof of the uneasiness I had made them feel. Kate received me very sharply. "I am astonished at you," she said, "to choose the very moment when you are troubled with a headache, and Cornelius is gone for the physician, to run down to the sands!"