ping the habit of judgment. He judged Noel's conduct
to be headlong and undisciplined, and the vein of stubbornness in his
character fortified the father and the priest within him. Thirza
disappointed him; she did not seem to see the irretrievable gravity of
this hasty marriage. She seemed to look on it as something much lighter
than it was, to consider that it might be left to Chance, and that if
Chance turned out unfavourable, there would still be a way out. To him
there would be no way out. He looked up at the sky, as if for
inspiration. It was such a beautiful day, and so bitter to hurt his
child, even for her good! What would her mother have advised? Surely
Agnes had felt at least as deeply as himself the utter solemnity of
marriage! And, sitting there in the sunlight, he painfully hardened his
heart. He must do what he thought right, no matter what the
consequences. So he went in and wrote that he could not agree, and
wished Noel to come back home at once.

V

1

But on the same afternoon, just about that hour, Noel was sitting on the
river-bank with her arms folded tight across her chest, and by her side
Cyril Morland, with despair in his face, was twisting a telegram "Rejoin
tonight. Regiment leaves to-morrow."

What consolation that a million such telegrams had been read and sorrowed
over these last two years! What comfort that the sun was daily blotted
dim for hundreds of bright eyes; the joy of life poured out and sopped up
by the sands of desolation!

"How long have we got, Cyril?"

"I've engaged a car from the Inn, so I needn't leave till midnight. I've
packed already, to have more time."

"Let's have it to ourselves, then. Let's go off somewhere. I've got
some chocolate."

Morland answered miserably:

"I can send the car up here for my things, and have it pick me up at the
Inn, if you'll say goodbye to them for me, afterwards. We'll walk down
the line, then we shan't meet anyone."

And in the bright sunlight they walked hand in hand on each side of a
shining rail. About six they reached the Abbey.

"Let's get a boat," said Noel. "We can come back here when it's
moonlight. I know a way of getting in, after the gate's shut."

They hired a boat, rowed over to the far bank, and sat on the stern seat,
side by side under the trees where the water was stained deep green by
the high woods. If they talked, it was but a word of love now and then,
or to draw each other's attent