essary to tell Lushington that she had seen the Greek
once again on the same afternoon. Her companion seemed surprised.

'That's strange,' he said. 'I supposed you saw him--no, I beg your
pardon, I've no right to suppose anything about you. Please forgive
me.'

'What did you suppose?' asked Margaret in a rather imperative tone.

'We are likely to meet so seldom that I may as well tell you what
happened,' answered Lushington, with more decision than he had formerly
been wont to show. 'I'd just as soon have you know, if you don't mind.'

Margaret leaned back in her seat, and pulled the garden hat over her
eyes. It was warm, and she could see the gnats in the strong light
reflected from the pond.

'He asked me if I wanted to marry you,' Lushington continued. 'I said
that such a thing was impossible. Then he gave me to understand that he
did.'

He paused, but as if he had more to say.

'What did you answer?' asked Margaret.

'I said I would keep out of the way, since he was in earnest.'

'Oh!'

Margaret uttered the ejaculation in a tone that might have meant
anything, and she watched the gnats darting hither and thither in the
sunshine.

'I did right, didn't I?' asked Lushington after a long pause.

'You meant to,' said Margaret almost roughly. 'I suppose it's the same
thing. You're always so terribly honourable!'

Her humour changed suddenly, and there was a shade of contempt in her
voice. She had been very glad to see him a few moments earlier, but now
she wished he would go. She was perhaps just then in the temper to be
won, though she did not know it, and she unconsciously wished that
Lushington would take hold of her and almost hurt her, as Logotheti had
done, instead of being so dreadfully anxious to be told that he had
done right a week ago.

'You don't care a straw for Logotheti,' he said, so suddenly that she
started a little. 'I don't know why you should,' he added, as she said
nothing, 'but I had got the impression that you did.'

'There are days--I mean,' she corrected herself, 'there have been days,
when I have liked him very much--more, it seems to me, than I ever
liked you, though in quite a different way.'

'There will be more such days,' Lushington answered.

'I hope not.'

Margaret spoke almost as if to herself and very low, turning her head
away. Lushington heard the words, however, and was surprised.

'Has anything happened?' he asked quickly, and quite without
reflection.

Aga