y one of
Sally's difficulties suffered an oblivion; they were all dispersed in
the extraordinary mist of sensation which enwrapped her.

"I _was_ surprised," she murmured, kissing him with all her heart.
"Didn't expect to see you. Funny to see you ... _so funny_ ... and when
I was thinking of you. I must have known you were coming."

"I just got in," Toby said. "I say, where you going, Sal?"

Sally flinched again. Immediately she was conscious of terror.

"Stoke Newington," she cried; in a flash. What was she to do? What _was_
she to do? She was desperate. Fear was strong; but love was stronger. It
was not only now that she did not dare to tell him the truth in case he
killed her; much more than that was her understanding of the fact that
she could not bear to lose him. Such gust of thankfulness had shaken
Sally when she knew that Toby had not received her letter that she was
brimming now with joy. It was impossible to lose her rapture at the
moment of its full glory. She _could_ not tell him.

"Stoke Newington? Whatever for? Here, wait till I've had some grub....
No, I'll come with you now. Get some grub later. Have you got to go
there now?"

"You musn't come, Toby."

"Why not?" He was instantly suspicious. His grip tightened, and he
forced her to look at him.

"Didn't you get my letter?"

"When? Now? I've had no letter. What you going to Stoke Newington for?
No, I want to know. You going to meet another chap? I believe you are,
you little devil! By Christ! If you.... I _will_ come!" Toby was now
fiercely suspicious. She could tell from his ferocious grip, and the
urgency of his tone. "If you're playing that game, I'll kill you. By
Christ, I will!"

"I'm not. I'm not," cried Sally. "You're hurting me, Toby!"

"You swear it?" He relaxed his hold, which was strangling her. In the
darkness he again strove to see her expression and judge for himself of
her honesty.

"I'm not going to see anybody. I swear I'm not."

"Why did you ask if I'd had your letter? What you bin writing to me?"

"Oo, a lot of lies...." breathed Sally. "Silly talk and rubbish. That's
all it was."

"What about?" He was still intense. Sally could hardly breathe, and her
courage was fading. They were so much in the darkness that they could
not be seen, and she was entirely dominated by Toby's physical strength.
Within his grasp she was helpless, and not all her dartingly-imagined
expedients would be enough to secure her escape. Hastily