t. Like your song."

"There's no moon up yet," Sally told him, not moving. "You stay where
you are. Stay nice and warm in bed. I shall be all right. I'll go for a
walk along the avenue by myself."

"And be f ... frightened again."

"Shan't wait to be frightened," Sally said. "See me dart back!"

Gaga fondled her hand and reached for the other one, which she patiently
yielded.

"You ... you're so nice," he murmured. "So good to me."

"I? Good?" Sally's shoulders were hoisted. She almost withdrew her
hands.

"Yes. But Sally.... I...." He was overcome, and could not proceed. Tears
had started to his eyes. "I haven't been sleeping. I've been thinking.
Last night...."

"Last night!" Sally convulsively jerked her hands away, and as quickly
restored them.

"You thought I'd ... I'd ... been ... been spying."

"Of course you weren't. I was ill. I was a beast."

"Sally, I never did. You ... you have a lot.... I've been thinking ... a
lot to put up with. Marrying a ... a sick man; and you...."

Sally could not bear him to talk thus. She freed herself, and rose.

"Here's a lot of talk!" she protested. "You get well, old son. Then
we'll see."

Gaga did not say anything for a moment. At last he spoke again.

"Sally, would you ... would you mind very much if I did ... didn't get
well?" he asked.

"Course I should!" But Sally was filled with alarm at this conversation.
She turned upon Gaga, but she could not meet his soft eyes. "Here,
you're talking silly!"

"Sally.... I.... I wasn't spying," said Gaga, slowly. "But I.... I _did_
see a man at the gate last night."

Sally clutched the back of a chair. For a moment she thought she must be
going to faint. Then, with a tremendous effort, she controlled herself.

"What d'you mean?" she demanded.

"Behind you. _With_ you."

"Never!"

Gaga continued to regard her. His smile was no longer visible. She only
noticed that he was paler, that his nostrils were pinched and his eyes
dark.

"I wish you'd tell me the truth," he said.

"I tell you there was nobody _with_ me," lied Sally. "Nobody. There may
have been a man behind me. I _did_ get a bit of a start. Somebody came
out of a gate. I didn't notice."

"Sally.... I.... I heard him call you 'Sally.'"

She was stricken with terror at his quietness.

"Nobody called me Sally!" she cried. "I don't _know_ anybody."

Gaga sighed, and his head fell sideways, so that he no longer looked at
her. They spoke no more. She