do? God will come and He
will find us both together--you and I--and He will take us up and keep
us together and we shall never be separated any more ... I love your
strength, Martin, your happiness, your youth--all the things I've never
had. And you're not going to leave me, not though Amy married a hundred
Thurstons ..."

Mr. Warlock's grip on his son's shoulder was iron.

Martin bent down and sat on the arm of his dusty leather chair to bring
himself on to the same level. He put his arm round his father and drew
him close to him. Maggie, Life, Money, Adventure--everything seemed to
draw away from him and he saw himself, a little boy, pattering on bare
feet down the aisle towards the font--just as though a spell had been
cast over him.

They sat close together in silence. Then slowly the thought of Thurston
came back again. Martin drew away a little.

"All the same, father," he said, "Thurston mustn't marry Amy."

"They're only engaged. There's no question of marriage yet."

"Then they are engaged?" Martin drew right away, standing up again.

"Oh, yes, they're engaged."

"Then I'm not going to stand it. I tell you I won't stay here if
Thurston marries Amy."

Mr. Warlock sighed. "Well then, let's leave it, my boy. I daresay
they'll never marry."

"No. I won't have it. It's too serious to leave."

His father's voice was sharper suddenly.

"Well, we won't talk about it just now, Martin, if you don't mind."

"But I must. You can't leave a thing like that. Thurston will simply
own the place ..."

"I tell you, Martin, to leave it alone." They were both angry now.

"And I tell you, father, that if you let Thurston marry Amy I leave the
house and never come back again."

"Isn't that rather selfish of you? You've been away all these years.
You've left us to ourselves. You come back suddenly without seeing how
we live or caring and then you dictate to us what we're to do. How can
you expect us to listen?"

"And how can you expect me to stay?" Martin broke into a torrent of
words: "I'm miserable here and you know that I am. Mother and Amy hate
me and you're always wrapped up in your religion. What kind of a place
is it for a fellow? I came back meaning that you and I should be the
best pals father and son have ever been, but you wouldn't come out with
me--you only wanted to drag me in. You tell me always to wait for
something. To wait for what? I don't know. And nobody here does seem to
know. And I can't wai