o you're kind to me, are you?"

"Yes," she said, raising her eyebrows and nodding her head, until she
looked like a dark poppy in a wind.

"And when I saw you on the road the other day you wouldn't look at me.
That's the second time."

"I did."

"As if I'd been a sheep."

"Oh!" Laughter bubbled in her. "You did look rather like one. I was
occupied in thinking deeply, seriously, intently--"

"That's no excuse."

"My good George, I shouldn't think of excusing myself to you. I chose to
ignore you and I shall probably ignore you again."

"Two can play at that game."

"Well, dear me, I shan't mind."

He bent in the saddle, and she did not like the polished whiteness of
his eyeballs. His voice was very low and heavy. "You think you can go on
making a mock of me for ever."

She started back. "No, George, no."

"You do, by God!" He lifted his whip to shake it in the face of heaven.

"Oh, don't, George, please! I can't stay"--she crept nearer--"if you go
on like that. What have I done? It's you who treat me badly. Won't you
be nice? Tell me about something." She put her face against the horse's
neck. "Tell me about riding. It must be beautiful in the dark. Isn't it
dangerous? Dare you gallop?"

"Well, we do."

"Such lots of rabbit-holes."

"What does it matter?"

"Oh, dear, you're very cross."

"I can't help it," he said like an unhappy child. "I can't help it." And
he put his hand to his head with an uncertain movement.

"Oh." With a practical air she sought for an impersonal topic. "Tell me
about Paris."

"Paris." There was no need for him to speak above a murmur. "I want to
take you there."

"Do you?"

He leant lower. "Will you come?"

Her eyes moved under his, but they did not turn aside. "I think I'm
going there with some one else," she said softly, and before her vision
of this eager lover there popped a spruce picture of Uncle Alfred.

"That isn't true," Halkett said, but despair was in his voice.

She was angered instantly. "I beg your pardon?"

"It isn't true," he said again.

"Very well," she said, and she began to walk away, but he called after
her vehemently, bitterly, "Because I won't let you go!"

She laughed at that and came back to her place, to say indulgently, "How
silly you are! I'm only going with an aged uncle!"

"But he's not the man to take you there."

"No."

"Come with me now."

"Shall I?"

"Get up beside me and I'll carry you away."

She was held by his tr