it.

She felt as she heard the fast drops of rain lash the window-frames,
that no revenge that she could secure would satisfy her thirst for it.

V

Roddy, meanwhile, had gone out to the stables. That little talk with
Lizzie had determined a resolution that had been growing now within him
for many weeks.

That little woman, with her assured air and neat little ways, knew what
she was about--knew moreover what others were about. She had watched and
had given him the tip--He would take it.

Roddy's mind was of far too simple an order to admit of more than one
point of view at a time. He saw Rachel now as a dog or horse, of whom he
was very fond, who needed, nevertheless, stern discipline. He wondered
now how it was that he had allowed himself for so long to remain
indecisive.

"London muddles a feller," he concluded; "the country's the place for
clear thinkin'."

He looked at his horses with great satisfaction, they were in splendid
condition--he had never known them better. He also was in splendid
condition--never been better.

As he walked away from the stables and turned towards the end of the
garden bounded by the gryphons and the stone gate, he felt his body at
its most supreme perfection. He thought, on that afternoon, that he was
strong enough for anything, and perhaps never before in his life had he
been so conscious of the glories of physical things; of all that it
meant to have fine muscles and a strong heart and lungs of the best and
thews and sinews as good as "any feller's."

"I'm strong enough for anythin'----" He turned back his arm and felt his
muscle. He cocked his head with a little conceited gesture of
satisfaction--"I was gettin' a bit fat in London--got rid of all that."

To walk, to ride, to fight, to swim, to eat and sleep, to love women and
drink strong drink! God! what a world!

And then, beyond it all, Rachel, Rachel, Rachel! He had her now--she
should be under his hand, she should be his as she had never been since
the first week of their marriage.

"No more nonsense, by God!" he said triumphantly to himself--"no more
nonsense."

He leaned on the stone gate and looked out over the fields--The gryphons
regarded him benevolently.

He was conscious, as he stood there, of the Duchess--what was the old
lady doing? He'd like to see her. He felt more in sympathy with her than
he had been for a long time past. "She's right after all. You've got to
stand up and run people. No use jus