"You're a good chap, Austin, and I'm sorry I've made a row to-night.
Yes, I'm sorry for that. But whether I'm sorry I've been kicked out or
not--well, that's a difficult question. My temper--well, sometimes I'm a
bit afraid of it."

"Oh, that's nothing. You've both got tempers. You'll make it up."

He spoke with a calm deliberation unusual with him. "I don't think I'd
better," he said. "I don't quite trust myself: I might do
something--queer."

In my opinion that possibility about him attracted Jenny; but it needed
no artificial fostering, and I held my peace.

There were electric lights at intervals down the drive: at this moment I
could see his face plainly. I thoroughly agreed with what he said and
understood his judgment of himself. But it was hard to see him look like
that about it. Suddenly--as I still looked--his expression changed. A
look of apprehension came over him--but he smiled also, and gripped my
arm tightly. A figure walked out of the darkness into the light of the
lamp.

I recalled how I had found her sitting by my hearth one night--in time
to make me recall my resignation. Was she here to make Octon unsay his
determination?

She came up to us smiling--with no air of surprise, real or affected,
and with no explanation of her own presence.

"Both of you! What luck! I didn't think you'd come away from the house
yet."

"I've come away from the house, Miss Driver," said Octon--rather grimly.

"In fact you've--'walked out of the house'--?" asked Jenny, smiling. The
dullest ears could not miss the fact that she was quoting.

"Yes," answered Octon briefly, leaving the next move with her. She had
no hesitation over it.

"Let not the sun go down upon your wrath!" she cried gayly. "The sun is
down, but the moon will be up soon, and if you won't quarrel any more
I'll keep you company for a little bit of the way." She turned to me,
"Do you mind waiting at the house a quarter of an hour? I've had a
letter from Mr. Cartmell that I want to consult you about."

Octon had not replied to her invitation and did not now. As I said, "All
right--I'll smoke a pipe outside and wait for you," she beckoned lightly
and merrily to him. After an almost imperceptible pause he moved slowly
after her. Gradually their figures receded from the area of lamplight
and grew dim in the darkness. The moon peeped over the hill but gave no
light yet by which they could be seen.

I had never believed in the permanence of that qu