rd no one enter. The moon was
setting beyond the opposite roofs, and in the darkness outlined
against the grey square of the window, she saw a figure seated in the
rocking-chair. The figure did not move: it was sunk deep in the chair,
with bowed head and folded arms, and she saw that it was Mr. Royall who
sat there. He had not undressed, but had taken the blanket from the
foot of the bed and laid it across his knees. Trembling and holding her
breath she watched him, fearing that he had been roused by her movement;
but he did not stir, and she concluded that he wished her to think he
was asleep.

As she continued to watch him ineffable relief stole slowly over her,
relaxing her strained nerves and exhausted body. He knew, then... he
knew... it was because he knew that he had married her, and that he
sat there in the darkness to show her she was safe with him. A stir
of something deeper than she had ever felt in thinking of him flitted
through her tired brain, and cautiously, noiselessly, she let her head
sink on the pillow....

When she woke the room was full of morning light, and her first glance
showed her that she was alone in it. She got up and dressed, and as
she was fastening her dress the door opened, and Mr. Royall came in. He
looked old and tired in the bright daylight, but his face wore the same
expression of grave friendliness that had reassured her on the Mountain.
It was as if all the dark spirits had gone out of him.

They went downstairs to the dining-room for breakfast, and after
breakfast he told her he had some insurance business to attend to. "I
guess while I'm doing it you'd better step out and buy yourself whatever
you need." He smiled, and added with an embarrassed laugh: "You know I
always wanted you to beat all the other girls." He drew something from
his pocket, and pushed it across the table to her; and she saw that he
had given her two twenty-dollar bills. "If it ain't enough there's more
where that come from--I want you to beat 'em all hollow," he repeated.

She flushed and tried to stammer out her thanks, but he had pushed back
his chair and was leading the way out of the dining-room. In the hall he
paused a minute to say that if it suited her they would take the three
o'clock train back to North Dormer; then he took his hat and coat from
the rack and went out.

A few minutes later Charity went out, too. She had watched to see in
what direction he was going, and she took the opposite way