.

"Come with me, Miss Erle!" he said, in a quiet tone.

She hesitated momentarily, then as he waited she put her hand in his.

She glanced up at him as she did so, her face a glow of colour.

"How far, Captain Fisher?" she said faintly.

"All the way," said Fisher, with a sudden smile that illuminated his
sombre countenance like a searchlight on a dark sea.

Molly laughed softly.

"How far is that?" she said.

He drew the little hand to his breast and put his free arm round her.

"Further than we can see, Molly," he said, and his quiet voice suddenly
thrilled. "Side by side through eternity."

Thus, with no word of love, did Fisher the Silent take to himself the
priceless gift of love. And the girl he wooed loved him the better for
that which he left unuttered.

They returned home late for lunch, entering sheepishly, and sitting down
as far apart as the length of the table would allow.

Charlie fell upon Fisher with merciless promptitude.

"You base defaulter!" he cried. "I'll see you march in front next time.
I was never more scandalised in my life than when I realised that you
and Molly had done a slope."

Fisher shrugged the shoulder nearest to him and offered no explanation
of his and Molly's defection.

Charlie kept up a running fire of chaff for some time, to which Fisher,
as was his wont, showed himself to be perfectly indifferent. Lunch over,
Molly disappeared. Charlie saw her go and turned instantly to Fisher.

"Come and have a single on the asphalt court!" he said. "I haven't tried
it yet. I want to."

Fisher was reluctant, but yielded to persuasion.

They went off together, Charlie with an affectionate arm round his
friend's shoulders.

"I am to congratulate, I suppose?" he asked, as they crossed the garden
to the tennis-court.

Fisher looked at him gravely, a hint of suspicion in his eyes.

"You may, if it gives you any pleasure to do so, my boy," he said.

"Ah, that's good!" said Charlie. "You're a jolly good fellow, old chap.
You'll make her awfully happy."

"I shall do my best," Fisher said.

Charlie passed instantly to less serious matters, but the critical look
did not pass entirely from Fisher's face. He seemed to be watching for
something, for some card that Charlie did not appear disposed to play.

Throughout the hard set that followed, his vigilance did not relax; but
Charlie played with all his customary zest. Tennis was to him for the
time being the only thing worth