saw
him you would fall again under his spell?"

This time she didn't nod, but her eyes gave assent.

"And what does that mean, little Terry? Whether you call it love or
fascination, it means that even though you do not see him, your heart is
his at present. It means that against your will he's infinitely more to
you than I am. It means that you only ask me to become engaged to you
in order that you may be strong to break his spell. It doesn't mean that
I will be anything more to you to-morrow than I was last night, when you
gave him your pledge."

She tried to speak, but he halted her words. "I'm older than you are.
Have you thought of that? I'm not the man I was; I'm lame. You can like
me as a friend and believe me indispensable; but, if I were your
husband, fifteen years from now when you're only the age I am
to-day----Have you considered that? My dear, I love you so well, that
I'll never let you tie yourself to me, till you're as certain that you
can't risk meeting me without loving me as you're certain at this moment
that you daren't risk meeting this other man. When you can do that----"

The tenderness in his eyes hurt her. "Directly I can do that, I'll tell
you, Tabs. And--and I believe I could almost tell you now."

"If you can now," he said, "there's a test. Will you take my place at
lunch and tell Braithwaite?"

She shrank, and tried to smile, and shook her head.

"Then it'll be I who'll have to do it." He tried to assume a cheerful
manner. "But I can't give him your reason about being engaged to me. If
it were true, which it isn't, it wouldn't be generous. If I carry any
message, the only honorable thing for me to do is to inform him of
everything."

"Of everything?" she questioned.

"Yes, of everything. I must tell him where the trouble lies and give
him his chance to be frank with you. Only when that is done, shall I be
free to do my utmost to win you for myself."

She took his hands and drew herself up to him. "Do what you like, Tabs.
As long as I know that I've not lost you," her voice became small and
almost happy, "I'm content."

She was tiptoeing against him. The next thing he knew he was kissing her
warm red mouth.

III

She was gone. He had watched her from the steps until she had reached
the end of the Square where the swirl of passing traffic had engulfed
her. At the last moment she had looked back and smiled. For some minutes
after she had vanished, he had stood there recalling t