He had nearly finished cutting the leaves of the magazine before she spoke, mentioning the fact of Rosamund Fane's arrival at the Minsters' house, Brookminster.
The slightest frown gathered and passed from her brother's sun-bronzed forehead, but he made no comment.
"Mr.Neergard is a guest, too," she observed.
"What ?" exclaimed Selwyn, in disgust.
"Yes; he came ashore with the Fanes." Selwyn flushed a little but went on cutting the pages of the magazine.
When he had finished he flattened the pages between both covers, and said, without raising his eyes: "I'm sorry that crowd is to be in evidence." "They always are and always will be," smiled his sister.
He looked up at her: "Do you mean that anybody _else_ is a guest at Brookminster ?" "Yes, Phil." "Alixe ?" "Yes." He looked down at the book on his knees and began to furrow the pages absently.
"Phil," she said, "have you heard anything this summer--lately--about the Ruthvens ?" "No." "Nothing at all ?" "Not a word." "You knew they were at Newport as usual." "I took it for granted." "And you have heard no rumours ?--no gossip concerning them?
Nothing about a yacht ?" "Where was I to hear it?
What gossip?
What yacht ?" His sister said very seriously: "Alixe has been very careless." "Everybody is.

What of it ?" "It is understood that she and Jack Ruthven have separated." He looked up quickly: "Who told you that ?" "A woman wrote me from Newport.

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