at the helm with a moody face; and then away
at the black hills that slid past. The silence was embarrassing and she
wondered whether he would break it. On the whole, she wanted him to do
so, but would give him no help.

"Of course," he said at length, "you needn't talk if you'd sooner not.
But you gave me the cut direct in Adexe, and although I may have deserved
it, it hurt."

"I don't see why it should hurt," Clare answered coldly.

"Don't you?" he asked. "Well, you have the right to choose your
acquaintances; but I once thought we were pretty good friends and I
mightn't have got better if you hadn't taken care of me. That ought to
count for something."

Clare blushed, but her eyes sparkled and her glance was steady. "If we
are to have an explanation, it must be complete and without reserve. Very
well! Why did you change when you were getting better? And why did you
hint that I must know you hadn't stolen the plans?"

Dick studied her with some surprise. He had thought her gentle and
trustful, but saw that she burned with imperious anger. It certainly was
not acting and contradicted the supposition of her guilt.

"If I did hint anything of the kind, I must have been a bit light-headed,"
he answered awkwardly. "You get morbid fancies when you have fever."

"The fever had nearly gone. You were braver then than you seem to be
now."

"I suppose that's true. Sometimes a shock gives you pluck and I got a
nasty one as I began to remember things."

Both were silent for the next few moments. Clare's pose was tense and her
look strained, but her anger had vanished. Dick thought she was calmer
than himself, but after all, she was, so to speak, on her defense and her
part was easier than his. He had forgiven her for robbing him; Kenwardine
had forced her to do so, and Dick regretted he had not hidden his
knowledge of the deed she must have hated. It was bodily weakness that
had led him to show his suspicion, but he knew that if they were to be
friends again no reserve was possible. As Clare had said, the explanation
must be complete. It was strange, after what had happened, that he should
want her friendship, but he did want it, more than anything else. Yet she
must be told plainly what he had thought her. He shrank from the task.

"What did you remember?" Clare asked, forcing herself to look at him.

"That I had the plans in the left, top pocket of my uniform when I
reached your house; I felt to see if they were the