teadily with
contemptuous dislike. "This is the fellow that invited himself to your
house, Jim," he said.

"Let me speak now, Dick," said Jim, with decision. "He can't touch me,
and I don't care if he does. He's nothing at all. I won't bother you.
Cicely, my dear. I've always loved you and I always shall. But----"

"No, he won't bother you," interrupted Mackenzie with a sneer. "He's
quite comfortable."

"But you will know I'm there when you are ready to be friends again. If
I haven't told you before I'll tell you now. I've kept back all I've
felt for you, but I've never changed and I shan't change. This won't
make any difference, except that----"

"Except that he's lost you and I've won you," Mackenzie broke in. "He's
had his chance and he's missed it. You don't want to be worried with his
drivel."

Cicely looked up at Mackenzie. "Let him speak," she said, with some
indignation. "I have listened to all you have said."

Mackenzie's attitude relaxed suddenly. After a searching glance at her
he shrugged his shoulders and turned aside. He took up his grey kid
gloves lying on the table and played with them.

"I don't blame you for this--not a bit," said Jim, "and I never shall.
Whatever you want I'll try and give you."

"O Jim, I can't marry you now," said Cicely, her head turned from him.
"But you are very kind." She broke into tears again, more tempestuous
than before. Her strength was nearly at an end.

"I've told you that I shan't worry you," Jim said. "But you mustn't
marry this man without thinking about it. You must talk to your
mother--she'll be heart-broken if you go away from her like this."

"Oh, does she want me back?" cried Cicely.

"Yes, she does. You must go up to Muriel now. She'll want you too. And
you needn't go home till you want to."

"I shall never be able to go home again," she said.

Mackenzie threw his gloves on to the table. "Do you want to go home?" he
asked her. His voice had lost that insistent quality. He spoke as if he
was asking her whether she would like to take a walk, in a tone almost
pleasant.

"I want to go away," she said doggedly.

"Then you may go," said Mackenzie, still in the same easy voice. "I
wanted you, and if we had been in a country where men behave like men, I
would have had you. But I see I'm up against the whole pudding weight of
British respectability, and I own it's too strong for me. We could have
shifted it together, but you're not the girl to go in wit