e more supple. And yet he had a vivid perception of the
peril in which he stood. An interior voice urged him to break away, to
seek safety in flight even at the cost of appearing cruel or ridiculous;
so, coming to a point in the field where an elm-hole jutted out across
the path, he saw with relief he could now withdraw his hand from the
girl's, since they must walk singly to skirt round it.

Esther took a step in advance, stopped and suddenly turned to face him;
she held out her two hands and her face was very near his own.

'Don't you care for me one little bit?' she said wistfully, and surely
sudden madness fell upon him. For he kissed her again, he kissed her
many times, he took her in his arms, and pushed all thoughts of the
consequences far from him.

But when, an hour later, he and Esther stood by the last gate on the
road to Orton, some of these consequences were already calling loudly to
him.

'You know I have only L130 a year?' he told her; 'it's no very brilliant
prospect for you to marry me on that.'

For he had actually offered her marriage, although to the mediocre
man such a proceeding must appear incredible, uncalled for. But to
Willoughby, overwhelmed with sadness and remorse, it seemed the only
atonement possible.

Sudden exultation leaped at Esther's heart.

'Oh! I'm used to managing' she told him confidently, and mentally
resolved to buy herself, so soon as she was married, a black feather
boa, such as she had coveted last winter.

Willoughby spent the remaining days of his holiday in thinking out and
planning with Esther the details of his return to London and her own,
the secrecy to be observed, the necessary legal steps to be taken, and
the quiet suburb in which they would set up housekeeping. And, so
successfully did he carry out his arrangements, that within five weeks
from the day on which he had first met Esther Stables, he and she came
out one morning from a church in Highbury, husband and wife. It was a
mellow September day, the streets were filled with sunshine, and
Willoughby, in reckless high spirits, imagined he saw a reflection of
his own gaiety on the indifferent faces of the passersby. There being no
one else to perform the office, he congratulated himself very warmly,
and Esther's frequent laughter filled in the pauses of the day.

* * * * *

Three months later Willoughby was dining with a friend, and the
hour-hand of the clock nearing ten,