u.
You're not like her. You're strong. You can manage without any one."

"I've had to."

"Oh," she moaned, "don't make me feel unhappy about going."

"I wouldn't have you unhappy about anything."

"You're a wonderful friend to me. Good-night."

He watched her move away, but when she had gone a few paces she ran
back.

"It wasn't quite the truth," she said. "It was only partly Notya."

"You're not angry with me?"

"With you? I couldn't be. It was just my silly self, only I didn't want
to be half truthful with you."

Their hands touched and parted, and he waited until she was out of sight
before he went back to Miriam.

"You're a little pest," he said, "wasting my time--"

"Ha, ha! I knew. I won't waste any more of it. Wasn't it horrid of me?
If you hadn't scolded me I might have been kind; but I always, always
pay people out."

"Silly thing to do," he muttered, and went off.

Miriam chuckled under her whistling as she strolled across the moor.
She did not whistle a tune, but uttered sweet, plaintive notes like a
bird's call, and as she reached the stream a tall figure rose up from
the darkness of the ground.

"Oh, are you here, George?" she said. "I'm glad. I'm sick of
everything."

"H'm. I'm glad I'm useful. Are the others having their usual
prayer-meeting?"

"What do you mean?"

"That Mackenzie of yours and your brother, sitting in the dip and
talking. I can't think what on earth they find to say."

"Well, you see, George, they are very clever people. Let us sit down.
You can't--I mean you and I can't appreciate them properly."

"The Mackenzie looks a fool."

"He is a great friend of mine. You must not be rude. Manners makyth man.
According to that, you are not always a man when you're with me."

He breathed deeply. "There's something about you--"

"Now you're blaming me, and that's not gallant."

"You think I'm not fit to breathe the same air with you, don't you?"

"Yes, sometimes." She sat hugging her knees and swaying to and fro, and
with each forward movement her face neared his. "But at others you are
quite presentable. Last night you were charming to me, George."

"I can be what I choose. D'you know that I had the same education as
your brothers?"

"You're always saying that. But you forget that you didn't have me for a
sister."

"No, thank God."

"Now--!"

"That's a compliment."

"Oh! And, George," she peered at him and dared herself to say the
words, though old Halkett'