ear of his arm
and was looking at him full in the face.

"I met him on the moor," he said. "I had some talk with him. I got his
blessing."

"You got his blessing! Why, so did I, after the mass, when you were
gone."

"Then that should join us more closely than ever," he said.

"In Heaven, perhaps, but on earth--" She checked herself again. "Tell me
what you thought of him, Robin."

"I thought it was strange that such a man as that should live such a
rough life. If he were in the seminary now, safe at Douay--"

She seemed a shade paler, but her eyes did not flicker.

"Yes," she said. "And you thought--?"

"I thought that it was not that kind of man who should fare so hardly.
If it were a man like John Merton, who is accustomed to such things, or
a man like me--"

Again he stopped; he did not know why. But it was as if she had cried
out, though she neither spoke nor moved.

"You thought that, did you, Robin?" she said presently, never moving her
eyes from his face. "I thought so, too."

"But I do not know why we are talking about Mr. Simpson," said the lad.
"There are other affairs more pressing."

"I am not sure," said she.

"Marjorie, my love, what are you thinking about?"

She had turned her eyes and was looking out through the little window.
Outside the red sunlight still lay on the crags and slopes beyond the
deep valley beneath them, and her face was bright in the reflected
brightness. Yet he thought he had never seen her look so serious. She
turned her eyes back to him as he spoke.

"I am thinking of a great many things," she said. "I am thinking of the
Faith and of sorrow and of love."

"My love, what do you mean?"

Suddenly she made a swift movement towards him and took him by the
lapels. He could see her face close beneath his, yet it was in shadow
again, and he could make out of it no more than the shadows of mouth and
eyes.

"Robin," she said, "I cannot tell you unless God tells you Himself. I am
told that I am too scrupulous sometimes.... I do not know what I think,
nor what is right, nor what are fancies.... But ... but I know that I
love you with all my heart ... and ... and that I cannot bear--"

Then her face was on his breast in a passion of weeping, and his arms
were round her, and his lips on her hair.

IV

Dick found his master a poor travelling companion as they rode home. He
made a few respectful remarks as to the sport of the day, but he was
answered by a wandering eye