better claim to
them. "But they do like me!" she said in a plaintive yet glad little
cry, as she was left alone in the silent old hall.

So still was the night that a man might hear the voice of his heart and
a girl the throb of hers. And they were alone; or only the friendly
murmur of old Blent was with them, seeming to whisper congratulations
on their joy. Her arm was through his, very white on his sleeve, and she
leant on him heavily.

"After tempests, dear," said he.

"There shall be no more, no more, Harry."

"Oh, I don't know that. I shall like you in them perhaps. And there may
be one more, anyhow."

"You're laughing, Harry?"

"Why, yes, at anything just now."

"Yes, at anything," she murmured. "I could laugh--or cry--at anything
just now."

They came to the little bridge and passed on to it.

"We talked here the first evening," said she. "And how you puzzled me!
It began for me then, dear Harry."

"Yes, and for me a little sooner--by the Pool for me. I was keeping you
out of your own then."

"Never mine unless it could be yours too."

Fallen into silence again, they reached the road and, moved by the same
instinct, turned to look back at Blent. The grip of her hand tightened
on his arm.

"There's nothing that would make you leave me?" she whispered.

"Not you yourself, I think," said he.

"It's very wonderful," she breathed. "Listen! There's no sound. Yes,
after tempests, Harry!"

"I am glad of it all," he said suddenly and in a louder tone. "I've been
made a man, and I've found you, the woman for me. It was hard at the
time, but I am glad of it. It has come and it has gone, and I'm glad of
it."

He had spoken unwarily in saying it was gone. But she thought he spoke
of his struggle only and his hesitation, not of their cause.

"You gave when you might have kept; it is always yours, Harry. Oh, and
what is it all now? No, no, it's something still. It's in us--in us
both, I think."

He stopped on the road.

"Come no farther. The fly's only a little way on, and while I see you, I
will see nobody else to-night. Till the morning, dearest--and you won't
fail?"

"No, I won't fail. Should I fail to greet my first morning?"

He pushed the hair a little back from her forehead and kissed her brow.

"God do so unto me and more also if my love ever fails you," said he.
"Kiss me as I kissed you. And so good-night."

She obeyed and let him go. Once and twice he looked back at her as he
took his