of him also.... Now he had
forgotten. She was growing old. Youth draws youth. Naturally he would
forget her.

The collie, hearing her sigh, got down from his chair and leaned his
head against her knee with a low whine. She sat gazing at the burning
logs and gently stroking the sleek, black head. It was so that Loring
found her when he entered.

VIII

He had put all his will into that grip upon himself when he went
forward. But now as he stood looking down at her, and saw the tears on
her lashes, his heart seemed a white-hot weight that dropped him to his
knees beside her. He did not dare touch her, but he grasped the arms of
her chair with both hands, his vivid young face close to hers.

"Oh, my Beautiful...." he stammered. "What are you crying for? Who has
hurt you?"

It was amazingly startling to have this impassioned young Greek rush
like a faun out of the winter night and hurl himself at her knees, just
when she had been thinking of him as forgetful of her and hundreds of
miles distant. She managed another smile, keeping her hand on Dhu's
head. The collie sat stolidly between them, pressing, jealously, closer
to his mistress.

"No one has hurt me.... It's nothing.... Nothing but foolishness ...
contemptible foolishness...."

"You were lonely?"

"I was just silly.... Get up, dear child."

"I'm not a 'child'.... I'm a man who loves you.... And I shall not get
up ... not until you tell me what is troubling you...."

"Dear Morris ... do you call this being 'good'?"

"No. I call it being what I can't help being.... Do you think I can see
tears in your eyes and play good little Harry?... I can't stand your
tears.... They make me wild ... quite wild. Don't play with me.... Don't
laugh...."

He caught her hand suddenly, pressing it against his breast.

"Feel that...." he stammered. "Can you laugh at that?"

The violent young heart drummed against her hand pressed down upon it by
both his.

"It's an Idolater...." he went stammering on, his voice low and thick
with the swift heart-beats. "Each throb worships you.... And you tell me
to be 'good'.... You tell me that!"

The dog growled suddenly. It was a low, menacing rumble deep in his
chest. His eyes were fixed on Sophy.

"Be quiet ... lie down, Dhu," she said, glad for an excuse of speaking
normally. "Lie down!" she repeated sharply, as the dog remained
motionless. He withdrew his head unwillingly from her knee, and subsided
on the rug near he