them. There was no doubt of Richard's shabbiness. His old
riding coat was much the worse for wear. He had on the wrong kind of hat
and the wrong kind of shoes, and he seemed most aggravatingly not to
care. He was to ride to-morrow one of the horses which had been sent down
from Pip's stables. He hadn't even a proper mount!

Pip, on the other hand, was perfectly groomed. He was shining and
immaculate from the top of his smooth head to the heel of his boots. And
he wore an air of gay inconsequence. It seemed to Eve that Richard's
shoulders positively sagged with responsibility.

There was a dance at the club that night. Richard, coming in, saw Eve in
Pip's arms. They were a graceful pair, and their steps matched perfectly.
Eve was all in white, wide-skirted, and her shoulders and arms were bare.
She had on gold slippers, and her hair was gold. Richard had a sense of
discomfort as he watched them. He was going to marry her, yet she was
letting Pip look at her like that. His cheeks burned. What was Pip
saying? Was he making love to Eve?

He had tried to meet the situation with dignity. Yet there was no dignity
in Eve's willingness to let Pip follow her. To speak of it would,
however, seem to crystallize his feeling into a complaint.

Hence when he danced with her later, he tried to respond to the lightness
and brightness of her mood. He tried to measure up to all the
requirements of his position as an engaged man and as a lover. But he did
not find it easy.

When he reached home that night, he found little Francois awake, and
ready to ask questions about the hunt.

"Do you think they will get him?" he challenged Richard, coming in small
pink pajamas to the door of the young doctor's room.

"Get who?"

"Old Pete."

"He is too cunning."

"Will he come through here?"

"Perhaps."

"I shall stick my fingers in my ears and shut my eyes. Are you going to
ride with them?"

"Yes."

"You won't let them kill old Pete, will you?"

"Not if I can help it."

After that, the child was more content. But when Richard was at last in
bed, Francois came again across the hall, and stood on the threshold in
the moonlight. "It would be dreadful if it was his last night."

"Whose last night, Francois?" sleepily.

"Old Pete's."

"Don't worry. And you must go to bed, Francois."

Richard waked to a glorious morning and to the hunt. Pink coats dotted
the countryside. It seemed as if half the world was on its way to the
club.