three years
past. It was ordained!

And two women whom he met looked at each other when he had gone by, and
those words 'the blighted crow' which they had been about to speak, died
on their lips.

VIII

Noel felt light-hearted too, as if she had won a victory. She found some
potted meat, spread it on another biscuit, ate it greedily, and finished
the pint bottle of champagne. Then she hunted for the cigarettes, and
sat down at the piano. She played old tunes--"There is a Tavern in the
Town," "Once I Loved a Maiden Fair," "Mowing the Barley," "Clementine,"
"Lowlands," and sang to them such words as she remembered. There was a
delicious running in her veins, and once she got up and danced. She was
kneeling at the window, looking out, when she heard the door open, and
without getting up, cried out:

"Isn't it a gorgeous night! I've had Daddy here. I gave him some of
your champagne, and drank the rest--" then was conscious of a figure far
too tall for Leila, and a man's voice saying:

"I'm awfully sorry. It's only I, Jimmy Fort."

Noel scrambled up. "Leila isn't in; but she will be directly--it's past
ten."

He was standing stock-still in the middle of the room.

"Won't you sit down? Oh! and won't you have a cigarette?"

"Thanks."

By the flash of his briquette she saw his face clearly; the look on it
filled her with a sort of malicious glee.

"I'm going now," she said. "Would you mind telling Leila that I found I
couldn't stop?" She made towards the divan to get her hat. When she had
put it on, she found him standing just in front of her.

"Noel-if you don't mind me calling you that?"

"Not a bit."

"Don't go; I'm going myself."

"Oh, no! Not for worlds." She tried to slip past, but he took hold of
her wrist.

"Please; just one minute!"

Noel stayed motionless, looking at him, while his hand still held her
wrist. He said quietly:

"Do you mind telling me why you came here?"

"Oh, just to see Leila."

"Things have come to a head at home, haven't they?"

Noel shrugged her shoulders.

"You came for refuge, didn't you?"

"From whom?"

"Don't be angry; from the need of hurting your father."

She nodded.

"I knew it would come to that. What are you going to do?"

"Enjoy myself." She was saying something fatuous, yet she meant it.

"That's absurd. Don't be angry! You're quite right. Only, you must
begin at the right end, mustn't you? Sit down!"

Noel tried to fr