, and most of the shops had closed. The elasticity had departed from
Miss Tyrell's step, and she walked aimlessly, noting with a sinking at
the heart the slowly passing time. Once or twice she halted from sheer
weariness, Fraser halting too, and watching her with a sympathy of which
Flower would most certainly have disapproved if he had seen it.

At length, in a quiet street beyond Stratford, she not only stopped, but
turned and walked slowly back. Frascr turned too, and his heart beat as
he fancied that she intended to overtake him. He quickened his pace in
time with the steps behind him until they slackened and faltered; then
he looked round and saw her standing in the centre of the pathway with
her head bent. He walked back slowly until he stood beside her, and saw
that she was crying softly. He placed his hand on her arm.

"Go away," she said, in a low voice.

"I shall not."

"You walked away from me just now."

"I was a brute," said Frascr, vehemently.

The arm beneath his hand trembled, and he drew it unresistingly through
his own. In the faint light from the lamp opposite he saw her look at
him.

"I'm very tired," she said, and leaned on him trustfully. "Were you
really going to leave me just now?"

"You know I was not," said Fraser, simply.

Miss Tyrell, walking very slowly, pondered. "I should never have
forgiven you if you had," she said, thoughtfully. "I'm so tired, I can
hardly stand. You must take me to your ship."

They walked slowly to the end of the road, but the time seemed very
short to Fraser. As far as he was concerned he would willingly have
dispensed with the tram which they met at the end and the antique
four-wheeler in which they completed their journey to the river. They
found a waterman's skiff at the stairs, and sat side by side in the
stern, looking contentedly over the dark water, as the waterman pulled
in the direction of the _Swallow_, which was moored in the tier. There
was no response to their hail, and Fraser himself, clambering over the
side with the painter, assisted Miss Tyrell, who, as the daughter of
one sailor and the guest of another, managed to throw off her fatigue
sufficiently to admire the lines of the small steamer.

Fraser conducted her to the cabin, and motioning her to a seat on the
locker, went forward to see about some supper. He struck a match in the
forecastle and scrutinised the sleepers, and coming to the conclusion
that something which was lying double