t lettin' them handle you."

There was a storm coming up. The white lights of the higher sky were
being closed down by black blocks of cloud that spread, from one to
another, merging far on the horizon above the hills into driving lines
of rain. The white chalk hollows above Lewes stood out sharp and clear;
the dark green of the fields was now a dull grey, the hedges were dark
and a thin stream that cut the flat surface of the plain was black like
ink.

Roddy welcomed the storm. Had he been superstitious the physical energy
that now pervaded him might have frightened him. He felt as though with
one raising of his arm he could hold up those black clouds and keep them
off. The rain and the wind had not more force than he--

Life was a vast paean of strength--"The weak must go"--He was, at this
hour, Lord of Creation.

As he went back to the house the rain met him and whipped his cheek.

"By Gad, I'd like to find the old lady sittin' in the house, waitin' for
a chat," he thought.

When he came down to dinner, he came as one who rules the world. That
simple clear light was in his eyes that was always there when he had
found the solution to something that perplexed him. His expression too
was one that belonged to Rachel's earlier experience of him, one that
she had not seen on his face for a long time past. His strong but
rather stupid mouth had somewhere in its corners the suspicion of a
smile. His chin stuck out rather obstinately--the light in the eyes, the
smile, the set lips, these things revealed the old Roddy.

After dinner Lizzie went off to her room.

For a while Roddy and Rachel sat there--She read some book, her eyes
often leaving the page and staring into the fire.

Then she got up and said good night. She came over and bent down and
kissed him. He caught her arm and held her.

"I say, old girl, it's time we had the same room again--much more
convenient." He heard her catch her breath and felt her tremble. She
tried to draw her arm away, but he held her.

"Oh! but soon, Roddy--Yes--but not just now--I----"

"Yes--now. I'll see about it to-morrow." She stepped back from him,
dragging herself away, and then put her hand to her forehead with a
desperate gesture.

"No, no--not----"

He got up and smiling, swaying a little, faced her--

"Yes--I've made up my mind--all this business has got to come to an
end--Been goin' long enough."

"What business?"

"Seein' nothing of you--nothing from mornin'