CHAPTER I

MABEL PONDERS

It was four o'clock in the afternoon and Marston sat by a window in an English country house. His pose was limp and his face was thin, for the fever had shaken him, but he felt his strength coming back. Outside, bare trees shook their branches in a fresh west wind, and a white belt of surf crept across the shining sands in the broad estuary. On the other side, the Welsh hills rose against the sunset in a smooth black line.

Marston felt pleasantly languid and altogether satisfied. Mabel had put a cushion under his head and given him a footstool. It was soothing to be taken care of by one whom one loved, and after the glare of the Caribbean and the gloom of the swamps, the soft colors and changing lights of the English landscape rested his eyes. For all that, they did not wander long from Mabel, who sat close by, quietly pondering. With her yellow hair and delicate pink skin she looked very English, and all that was English had an extra charm for Marston. He liked her thoughtful calm. Mabel was normal; she, so to speak, walked in the light, and the extravagant imaginings he had indulged at the lagoon vanished when she was about.

Yet he had been forced to remember much, for Chisholm and Flora had come to hear his story, and he had felt he must make them understand in order to do his comrade justice. Flora's grateful glance and the sparkle in Chisholm's eyes hinted that he had not altogether failed.

Based on the article and the following list of answers, write a list of questions.

1. west
2. the Welsh hills
3. yes
4. bare trees
5. yes
6. four o'clock
7. Marston
8. they sat by a window
9. in an English country house
10. yes
11. he felt his strength coming back
12. Mabel
13. a cushion
14. the English landscape
15. yellow
16. yes
17. pink
18. yes
19. Chisholm and Flora
20. not altogether
1. What way was the wind blowing?
2. What rose against the sunset?
3. Was the wind fresh?
4. What shook their branches?
5. Were they outside?
6. What time was it?
7. Who sat?
8. What did he sit by?
9. Where?
10. Did he have a fever recently?
11. How did Marston feel?
12. Who was taking care of him?
13. What did she put under his head
14. What rested his eyes?
15. What color was Mabel's hair
16. Was she calm?
17. What color was her skin
18. Did people come to hear his story?
19. Who?
20. Had he failed?