hook his head eagerly. "It is not that at all," he said hastily.

Poppy made no reply, and there was another long silence. Then Fraser
advanced and held out his hand.

"Good-bye," he said, quietly.

"Good-bye," said the girl. She smiled brightly, and got up to see him
downstairs.

"I wanted to say something before I went," said Fraser, slowly, as he
paused at the street-door, "and I will say it."

Miss Tyrell, raising her eyebrows somewhat at his vehemence, waited
patiently.

"I have loved you from the moment I saw you," said Fraser, "and I shall
go on loving you till I die. Good-bye."

He pressed her hand again, and walked down the little front garden
into the street. At the gate he paused and looked round at Poppy still
standing in the lighted doorway; he looked round again a few yards down
the street, and again farther on. The girl still stood there; in the
momentary glimpse he had of her he fancied that her arm moved. He came
back hastily, and Miss Tyrell regarded him with unmistakable surprise.

"I thought--you beckoned me," he stammered.

"Thought I beckoned you?" repeated the girl.

"I thought so," murmured Fraser. "I beg your pardon," and turned
confusedly to go again.

"So--I--did," said a low voice.

Fraser turned suddenly and faced her; then, as the girl lowered her eyes
before his, he re-entered the house, and closing the door led her gently
upstairs.

"I didn't like you to go like that," said Miss Tyrell, in explanation,
as they entered her room.

Fraser regarded her steadfastly and her eyes smiled at him. He drew her
towards him and kissed her, and Miss Tyrell, trembling with something
which might have been indignation, hid her face on his shoulder.

For a long time, unless certain foolish ejaculations of Fraser's might
count as conversation, they stood silent; then Poppy, extricating
herself from his arm, drew back and regarded him seriously.

"It is not right," she said, slowly; "you forget."

"It is quite right," said Fraser; "it is as right as anything can be."

Poppy shook her head. "It has been wrong all along," she said, soberly,
"and Captain Flower is dead in consequence. I never intended to go on
the _Golden Cloud_, but I let him go. And now he's dead. He only went to
be near me, and while he was drowning I was going out with you. I have
been very wicked."

Fraser protested, and, taking her hand, drew her gently towards him
again.

"He was very good to my father," said Po