my things."

"Let me. You ought to have hot water, and there's no fire. I'll rub you
down. And your hair! Wring it out, child. What were you doing on the
moor?"

"Just amusing myself."

"With George Halkett?"

"We-ell, I was with him in the spirit, oh, yes, I was; but in the flesh,
only for a very little while. What made you think I was with him?"

"Something I heard. Are you warmer now?"

"Much warmer. Give me my nightgown, please. Oh, it's comfortable, and
out there I was so cold, so cold. Oh," she cried out, "I should love to
set his farm on fire!"

"Hush!"

"But I would! If I'd had matches, and if it hadn't been raining, and if
I'd thought about it, I would have done it then."

"But what did he do to you?" Helen's eyes were sombre. "He surely didn't
touch you?"

Miriam's arrested laughter marked their differences. She remembered
George Halkett's hand on hers and the wilder, more distant passion of
his arms clasping her among the larches.

"It wasn't that," she said. "He asked me to marry him--and it wasn't
that. I met him to go riding, and I think I must have teased him. Yes, I
did, because he hit my horse, and I couldn't hold him, and I fell off at
last. I lay in the heather for a long time. It was wet, Helen, and I was
all alone. I cried at first. I would have killed him if he had come
near. I would, somehow, but he never came. He didn't care, and I might
have been killed, just because I teased him. Then I cried again. Would
you mind coming into bed with me to keep me warm? I'm glad I'm here. I
lost my way. I thought I should be out there all night. It was dark, and
the wind howled like demons, and the rain, the rain--! Closer, Helen."

"Did he frighten you?"

"Of course he didn't. I was angry. Oh"--the small teeth gritted on each
other--"angry! But I'll pay him out. I swear I will."

"Don't swear it. Don't do it. I wish Rupert were here. I'm glad Zebedee
gave me Jim."

"Pooh! Do you think George will break into the house? Jim would fly at
him. I'd like that. He's got to be paid out."

Helen moved in the bed. "What's the good of doing that?"

"The good! He made me bite the earth. I joggled and joggled, and at last
I went over with a bump, and when I bumped I vowed I'd hurt him."

"You needn't keep that kind of vow."

"Then what was the good of making it? We always keep our promises."

"Promise not to see him any more."

"Don't worry. I've finished with him--very nearly. Will you stay wi