all, shaken whisper solemnly, as if he were
taking a formal and irrevocable vow, but there was no one to listen to
it here, and bear witness to it as irrevocable. The girl did not answer
him. Suddenly shy, breathing quickly, and trying to laugh, she slipped
out of his arms.

The boy let her go. Some time before the trailing reins had been caught
up and twisted twice round the whip socket. He had done this
instinctively, he could not have told just when. He bent down and
untwisted them now, rather slowly and awkwardly, not looking at Judith.
Then he sat down stiffly beside her.

"You're tired," he said, with new gentleness in his voice. He put an arm
loosely round her waist in the manner of an affectionate but
inexperienced parent, and her head dropped on his shoulder. "Very
tired?"

"No."

"Judith, I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. How could I be so horrid? What made me? Did I hurt you,
dear, with my hands?"

"You couldn't hurt me."

"Neil, you know what you said just now?"

"Never mind what I said."

"You said you didn't want anything to take me away from you. Well, if it
did, if anything did take me away from you--now, I'd----"

"What, dear?"

"I'd never forgive you. I couldn't. I'd despise you." This warning came
in a low, uncertain voice, wasted, as countless warnings have been
wasted on wiser masculine ears than the boy's. "Look at our moon up
there. It's glad, I guess--glad about you and me. Why don't you listen
to me?"

"I'm thinking, Judith. I've got to think."

"You look very nice when you think. Your eyes look so big and still. You
look--beautiful. I could really sleep now, I guess."

"All right, dear."

"But I don't want to. I'm too happy. How late is it?"

"I don't know."

"Well, it's late. We couldn't get home now before awfully late--two or
something. And the road's so narrow here, we couldn't turn round. We
couldn't go home if we wanted to. Could we?"

"Not very well, dear."

"I'm glad.... Neil."

"Yes."

"Are you thinking now?"

"Yes."

"You do look beautiful. I don't know just why. I never saw you look just
like this before; kind, but years older than I am, and miles away.
Neil----"

"Yes, dear."

"Neil, don't think any more. Just love me.... I love you."

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Colonel Everard's little party was quite successful enough without the
guest of honour. At least, it would have seemed so to Judith, if she
could have looked in upon it just before midnight