to him, all flushed and
panting. She hung back as if to stop him, and he caught the glistening
of tears. Then he lost sight of her again. To be deserted the first
minute he was alone with her, and for that jackanapes with the small head
and the volcanic glances! It was too much! And suddenly it occurred to
him that she was alone with Kasteliz--alone at night, and far from home.
'Well,' he thought, 'what do I care?' and shouldered his way on through
the crowd. It served him right for mixing with such people here. He left
the fair, but the further he went, the more he nursed his rage, the more
heinous seemed her offence, the sharper grew his jealousy. "A beggarly
baron!" was his thought.

A figure came alongside--it was Boleskey. One look showed Swithin his
condition. Drunk again! This was the last straw!

Unfortunately Boleskey had recognised him. He seemed violently excited.
"Where--where are my daughters?" he began.

Swithin brushed past, but Boleskey caught his arm. "Listen--brother!"
he said; "news of my country! After to-morrow...."

"Keep it to yourself!" growled Swithin, wrenching his arm free. He went
straight to his lodgings, and, lying on the hard sofa of his unlighted
sitting-room, gave himself up to bitter thoughts. But in spite of all
his anger, Rozsi's supply-moving figure, with its pouting lips, and
roguish appealing eyes, still haunted him.

VIII

Next morning there was not a carriage to be had, and Swithin was
compelled to put off his departure till the morrow. The day was grey and
misty; he wandered about with the strained, inquiring look of a lost dog
in his eyes.

Late in the afternoon he went back to his lodgings. In a corner of the
sitting-room stood Rozsi. The thrill of triumph, the sense of
appeasement, the emotion, that seized on him, crept through to his lips
in a faint smile. Rozsi made no sound, her face was hidden by her hands.
And this silence of hers weighed on Swithin. She was forcing him to
break it. What was behind her hands? His own face was visible! Why
didn't she speak? Why was she here? Alone? That was not right surely.

Suddenly Rozsi dropped her hands; her flushed face was quivering--it
seemed as though a word, a sign, even, might bring a burst of tears.

He walked over to the window. 'I must give her time!' he thought; then
seized by unreasoning terror at this silence, spun round, and caught her
by the arms. Rozsi held back from him, swa