and hurried out of the
room. Then Spike turned to Ravenslee.

"Geoff," he sighed, "I'm not goin' to ask you to forgive me yet, I
can't--I'm goin' t' wait an' show you--"

But as he paused Ravenslee's hand was upon the lad's drooping shoulder.

"Arthur," said he, "from now on--from to-night--you are going to be my
brother more than ever--a brother we shall both be proud of--what do you
say?"

But Spike's eyes were wet, his mouth quivered, and instead of answering
he buried his face in the pillow again.

"Say, Hermy," he mumbled, "take him away before I do th' tear-gushin'
act! Take him down-stairs--give him a drink--light him a
cigarette--kiss him! Only take him away before I get mushy. But,
say--when I'm in bed, you'll--you'll come an'--say good night like--like
you used to, Hermy dear?"

Swiftly she stooped and kissed that curly head.

"I'll come--oh, I'll come, boy, dear!" she murmured, land left him with
Mrs. Trapes.

Down-stairs the fire glowed, filling the room with shadows, and side by
side they stood looking down into the heart of the fire and were silent
awhile, and, though she was so near, he didn't touch her.

"So it wasn't Arthur, after all!" he said at last.

"No," she answered softly, "it wasn't Arthur--thank God!"

"Amen!" said he, so fervently that she glanced up at him swiftly, then
looked into the fire again. Seeing how the colour deepened in her cheek,
he came a little nearer; but still he didn't touch her; instead, he took
out tobacco pouch and pipe and began to fill it with strangely clumsy
fingers, and Hermione saw that his hands were trembling.

"Let me!" she said gently. So he surrendered pipe and pouch and,
watching, saw that her hands trembled also; when at last she had filled
the pipe, he took it and laid it on the table.

"Aren't you going to smoke, dear?"

"No, not now. You'll remember that Arthur also suggested you should--"

"Give you something to drink!" she added a little breathlessly and
crossed to the cellaret in the corner. "Will you have brandy and soda?"

"Thanks--yes--that will do," he answered absently, and when she
dutifully brought the filled glass he took it and set it down untasted
beside the pipe.

"Why, Geoffrey!" she said in murmurous surprise, "aren't you thirsty?"

"No, not now. You will probably remember that Arthur also suggested you
should--"

"I know!" she breathed, "but, oh, Geoffrey, dear--wait--just a little
longer."

"Why?" he demanded ho