ou never
speak to me now of Mr. Derringham?"

Cheiron frowned. One of his eyebrows had grown in later years at least
an inch long and seemed to bristle ready for battle when he was angry.

"I think he has behaved as no gentleman should," he growled, "and I
would rather not mention him."

"You know of things perhaps with which I am not acquainted," said
Halcyone, "but from my point of view, there is nothing to judge him for.
Whatever he may have done in becoming engaged to marry this
lady--because she is rich--we do not know the forces that were
compelling him. It hurts me, Cheiron, that you take so stern a view--it
hurts me, Master."

Mr. Carlyon put out his hand and stroked her soft hair as she sat there
on a low stool looking up at him.

"Oh, my dear," he said, and could articulate no more because a lump grew
in his throat.

"Everything is so simple when we know of it," she went on, "but everyone
has not had the fortune to learn nature and the forces which we must
encourage or guard against. And Mr. Derringham, who had to mix with the
world, ran many dangers which could not come to you and me at La Sarthe
Chase. Ah, Cheiron! Even you do not know of the ugly things which creep
away out of sight in the night--my night that I love! And they could
sting one if one did not know where to put one's feet. And so it must be
with him--he did not always see where just to put his feet, so we must
not judge him, must we?" she pleaded.

"Not if you do not wish," Mr. Carlyon blurted out. And then he began to
puff wreaths of smoke from his long old pipe.

"Indeed, I do not wish, Cheiron," she said. "Perhaps he is very unhappy
now--we do not know--so we should only send him good thoughts to cheer
him. I dream of him often," she went on in a far-off voice, as though
she had almost forgotten the Professor's presence, "and he cries to me
in pain. And I could not bear it that you should be thinking badly of
him, and so I had to speak because thoughts can help or injure
people--and now he wants all the gentle currents we can send him to take
him through this time."

The Professor coughed violently; his spectacles had grown dim.

Then Halcyone rubbed her soft cheek against his old withered hand.

"You knew it, of course, Master," she said very softly. "I loved him
always and I love him still--and, if I have forgiven any hurt which he
brought me, surely it need not stand against him with you. To-night--oh,
he is suffering so! I