bed him of
his jewel. Now, he felt as though he must follow her, and make her his
without even the possible mischances of a few hours of absence.

"She comes back to dinner?" he asked.

"She comes back to tea," his cousin answered, "and you have made me
tired, Robin. I am going to rest till tea-time."

They went back to the house and Nelly left him in the drawing-room while
she went away to her own room. He knew that she was giving him his
opportunity and was grateful for it. How could he have been so mad as to
think of letting Mary go away with nothing settled between them?

He walked up and down restlessly, while the dogs watched him in
amazement from their cushions. It was a topsy-turvy world in which the
dogs found themselves of late. They had almost reached the point of
being surprised at nothing. It was lucky the carpet was so faded and
shabby, for of late the General had worn a path in it with his restless
movements; and now here was his nephew behaving as though he were an
untamed creature in a cage and not a sober, serious legislator.

At last he heard her knock, and her light foot ascending the stairs. She
looked surprised to find him alone and asked rather anxiously for Nelly.

"You didn't let her get over-tired?" she asked, apprehensively.

"No; we walked very little. She said she would rest till tea-time. Well,
have you packed?"

"I have put my things together. I am going to ask to be allowed off
to-morrow. I shall sleep at the flat to-morrow night, if they can spare
me, and be off the next morning."

"You are glad to be free?"

"Very glad. I was also glad to stay. And you?"

He rose up to his awkward length from the chair into which he had
dropped on hearing her knock and went close to her.

"I shall never be free again in this world," he said. And then, with a
change of tone: "Do you suppose I am going to let you go over there a
free woman?"

He drew her almost roughly to him.

"I have always loved you," he said.

"And I," she answered, "I have loved you since I was sixteen."

"My one woman!" he cried in a rapture.

CHAPTER XXVI

GOLDEN DAYS

The time went peacefully with Nelly and the mother in the little house
among the Sussex woods. And presently, since Nelly showed no indication
of wishing to join them, and could not be spared indeed, and since Robin
was plainly ill at ease yachting up and down the coast, the General
declared his intention of going off to a grouse-moor