cried myself to sleep over it."

"I thought so," I said with gravity, and eyes that didn't dare to smile
outright till they had permission, which, however, was not long
withheld them.

"How did you know?"

"Oh, intuition, of course--who wouldn't have cried themselves to sleep,
and so tired too!"

"You're a nice sympathetic man, anyhow," she laughed; "what a pity you
don't bicycle!"

"Yes," I said, "I would give a thousand pounds for a bicycle at this
moment."

"You ought to get a good one for that," she laughed,--"all bright parts
nickel, I suppose; indeed, you should get a real silver frame and gold
handle-bars for that, don't you think? Well, it would be nice all the
same to have your company a few miles, especially as it's growing
dark," she added.

"Especially as it's growing dark," I repeated.

"You won't be going much farther to-night. Have you fixed on your
inn?" I continued innocently. She had--but that was in a town too far
to reach to-night, after her long sleep.

"You might have wakened me," she said.

"Yes, it was stupid of me not to have thought of it," I answered,
offering no explanation of the dead bee which at the moment I espied a
little away in the grass, and saying nothing of the merry tramp and the
melancholy musician.

Then we talked inns, and thus she fell beautifully into the pit which I
had digged for her; and it was presently arranged that she should ride
on to the Wheel of Pleasure and order a dinner, which she was to do me
the honour of sharing with me.

I was to follow on foot as speedily as might be, and it was with a high
heart that I strode along the sunset lanes, hearing for some time the
chiming of her bell in front of me, till she had wheeled it quite out
of hearing, and it was lost in the distance.

I never did a better five miles in my life.

CHAPTER III

TWO TOWN MICE AT A COUNTRY INN.

When I reached the Wheel of Pleasure, I found Rosalind awaiting me in
the coffee-room, looking fresh from a traveller's toilette, and with
the welcome news that dinner was on the way. By the time I had washed
off the day's dust it was ready, and a merry meal it proved. Rosalind
had none of Alastor's objections to the wine-list, so we drank an
excellent champagne; and as there seemed to be no one in the hotel but
ourselves, we made ourselves at home and talked and laughed, none
daring to make us afraid.

At first, on sitting down to table, we had grown momentarily shy, wi