eft to her to divine his approval from
eyes and voice--a gratification delightfully freed from embarrassment.
He bit his lip, frowned, and demanded suddenly, "How long do you mean to
stay?"

"I hope, as long as she lives. For my own sake as well as hers, for
I've grown to love her, and she is a delightful companion. Beyond her
simplicity and sweetness, she has such a pretty sense of humour. She
makes me laugh in my darkest mood, and--which is equally important--she
laughs at me. It would be too boring to live with a person who received
one's best sallies with silence or a strained smile; but Miggles is
nothing if not appreciative. I shall certainly not leave her by any act
of my own."

"And--afterwards?"

Vanna looked up at him: her eyes were brave, but her lips trembled.

From his tall stature he looked down upon the struggle on her face, the
trembling lips, the brave, gallant eyes.

"I don't know--I can't say. I don't want to think. It's a subject I
can't discuss--_here_. Talk of something else--something cheerful.
Tell me about Jean. Have you seen her lately? When did you see her?
How is she looking? Tell me everything you can about her."

Piers lifted his brows and slightly shrugged his shoulders.

"Jean is--Robert! Robert is--Jean! There you have the situation in a
word! Bound up in each other--blind, deaf, dumb to every other
interest. I've called once or twice. Their house is charming. She is
lovelier than ever; he is, if possible, still more radiantly content.
They seem unfeignedly pleased to see one--for ten minutes! After that
their attention begins to flag, and at the end of half an hour you feel
that you would be a perfect brute to stay another second. I have come
to the conclusion that it is kinder to leave them alone."

"I'm sure of it. I don't even trouble Jean with letters more than once
a month. I send constant bulletins of Miggles to Mrs Goring, so that
she knows how things go, and for the rest--I bide my time. When a year
or so has passed away, I hope they will still be as much in love; but
there will be more room for outsiders. It's just as well that I am away
from town. It is easier to be philosophical at a distance. If I were
in town and felt myself unwanted and out in the cold, I should probably
be huffy and jealous. As it is, I look forward, and tell myself she
will want me another day. One can afford to wait when there's a surety
at the end."

"Yes, that's e