ast her life; now she needed a rest. How badly Lowther
himself had needed a rest was proved by his altered appearance after a
few weeks of a leisurely life passed in fresh, pure air. Never again
had the subject of morphia been mentioned between himself and his wife,
but the doses were steadily diminishing. There had been one whole day
when he had taken no injection at all! He wondered at the coincidence
which had made Lilith so tender on that day! If it had not been for her
tenderness, for the clasp of that small, warm hand, he doubted if he
could have lasted out. He was no longer so sure that he did not love
his wife. He was grateful to her for her tact and forbearance. He was
beginning to look forward to her rare tenderness; as a reward for which
it were worth while to endure.

Both Lowther and his wife were clever linguists, and he was amused to
discover that, quiet as was her nature, she possessed the rare gift of
making friends with the humble folk of the different countries through
which they passed, and of drawing forth their confidence. Many an
evening was spent in conversation with "mine host" as he enjoyed his
leisurely smoke at the end of the day's work, and "mine host" was an
interesting talker, with his tales of the country side, from the lordly
baron in his rock-bound castle, to the humblest tenant upon his land.
Many talks were held also during the day-time, with the labourers in the
fields, with the farmers who supplied milk and bread, and who beamed in
appreciation of the largesse bestowed by the English milord and his
wife. There were charming stories to be told--stories of affection and
kindliness between the tenants and the lord of the soil, of a simple,
feudal loyalty which sounded like a page from a fairytale of old, but
there were tragedies also--stories of injustice and tyranny, of
suffering and want. They were simple people, and they told their tales
simply and well, delivering themselves in conclusion, of a pathetic
apology. "It was a pity... Things were not as bad as they had been.
In England, of course, it was different. The peasants in England had no
such trials to endure!"

Lilith sat listening while her husband explained that England had her
own land troubles. Her sleepy eyes expressed but little interest; but
now and again she would put a searching question which cut to the very
heart of the matter, and set him talking afresh. Wherever they went the
same subject recurred,