ad eye, which wasn't fair."

"I'll bet that's how Venus got the apple, if the truth were known. Any
way, I'm going to choose him for choosing you. You see. We shall get
on well."

"Juno, Juno!" cried a woman's voice from the house. Immediately the
bulldog started and turned towards the doorway.

"What did I say?" said I. "Something seemed to tell me you were a
goddess, when--"

"When?"

"When you were upset this morning. I saw you very close then, you see.
Well! What sort of weather have you been having in Olympus lately?
And how's Vulcan? I suppose Cupid must be getting quite a big boy?"

She laughed. "You wouldn't know him if you saw him," she said.

"Don't be too sure. When does he go to the 'Varsity? Or shan't you
send him?"

"He's there now. Doing awfully well, too!"

"Taken a first in the Honour School of Love, I suppose? Is he as good
a shot as ever?"

"He's a very good son."

"Ought to be," said I.

"Yes," she said steadily, gazing with eyes half-closed, over the fields
and hedgerows, away to the distant hills, the faintest smile hung on
her parted lips. "He's never given me a day's trouble since he was
born. I don't think he will, either, not for a long time, any way."

Thoughtfully I pulled on my gloves. Then:

"My dear," said I, "for that boast you may shortly expect a judgment."

"More judgments?" she cried with a laugh, turning to look at me, the
straight brews raised in mockery. "Which will cost you more, my fair
Olympian, than a glad eye."

A quarter past five. The train was passing through the outskirts of
London. A bare ten minutes more, and we should arrive. I looked
anxiously at the girl, wondering where, when, how I should see her
again. For the last half-hour we had spoken but little. She had
seemed sleepy, and I had begged her to rest. Dreamily she had thanked
me, saying that she had had little sleep the night before. Then the
eyes had smiled gently and disappeared. It was almost dark now, so
swift had been the passing of the winter's day. Lights shone and
blinked out of the darkness. Another train roared by, and we
slackened speed. Slowly we crawled over a bridge spanning mean
streets. One could not but mark the bustling scene below. The sudden
din compelled attention. I looked down upon the writhing traffic, the
glistening roadway, the pavements crowded with hurrying, jostling
forms. An over-lighted public house made the cheap shops seem