very different lives that you may find that there is little
sympathy left between you. It is only a `may,' but I do think you would
do well to see more of each other before speaking of anything so serious
as marriage. You shall have plenty of opportunity of seeing each other,
I promise you that! I will invite Miss Beveridge to spend as much of
her time with us as is possible, and you shall be left alone to renew
your acquaintance, and learn to know each other afresh. That will be
the wisest plan, will it not?"

"Um--um!" grunted the General vaguely. He frowned and looked
crestfallen, for he retained enough of his youthful impetuosity to make
anything like delay distinctly a trial. "Perhaps you are right, though
I cannot believe that any number of years could change my feelings.
Alice is--Alice! The one woman in the world I ever loved. That's the
beginning and the end of the matter, but perhaps for her sake I should
not be hasty. Mustn't frighten her again, poor girl! That's arranged,
then, ma'am--you let us meet in your house, and if we live, we'll try to
pay you back for your goodness, and I'll wait--two or three weeks. You
wouldn't wish me to wait longer than two or three weeks?" He put up his
hand and raked his grey locks into a fierce, upstanding crest, while a
curious embarrassment flashed across his face. "A married man? Terence
Digby married! There's only one thing I'm afraid of--Johnson! What
will Johnson say to a woman in possession?"

Mrs Trevor laughed, but could give no reply, and presently the General
took himself off, and left her to write an invitation for the next week-
end to his old love, which was accepted in a grateful little note by
return of post.

For three nights running did the General dine at Dr Trevor's table,
while Miss Beveridge sat beside him, with pathetic little bows of lace
pinned in the front of her shabby black silk, which somehow looked
shabbier than ever for the attempt at decoration. At the beginning of
the meal she was just Miss Beveridge, stiff, silent, colourless; but as
time passed by and she talked to the General, and the General talked to
her, attending to her little wants as if they were of all things in the
world the most important, fussing about a draught that might possibly
distress her, and violently kicking his opposite neighbour in his
endeavours to provide her with a footstool, gradually, gradually the
Miss Beveridge of the music-lessons and the Gov