.

"Ah! You are there, Christine! You will pardon me for keeping you
waiting. I came as soon as your message reached me."

He lifted one of the great yew-branches and stepped beneath as if
entering a tent. It fell behind him, and in the green gloom they were
face to face.

"Were you going without saying good-bye?" said Chris.

She stood before him, very pale and quiet. Her eyes did not meet his
quite fully.

He spread out his hands. "I knew not if you would wish to see me."

"Don't you know me better than that?" she said. He did not answer her.
Evidently she did not expect an answer, for she went on almost at once.
"Bertie, why did you let Trevor think you had robbed him?"

He made a sharp gesture of protest, but remained silent.

She laid her hand on his arm. "Come and sit down, Bertie! And please
answer me, because I want to know."

He went with her to the rustic seat against the tree-trunk. He was
gripping his self-control with all his strength.

"Mr. Mordaunt must think what he will," he said at length, with an
effort. "He can never judge me too severely."

"Why do you say that?" Chris asked the question quickly, nervously, as if
she had to ask it, yet dreaded the answer.

"I think you know, Christine," he answered, his voice very low.

She shrank a little. "But that money, Bertie? You knew nothing of that?"

He was silent for a moment; then, "We will not speak of that," he said
firmly. "I could not stay here in any case, so--it makes no difference."

"No difference that he should think you a thief!" exclaimed Chris.

He turned his eyes downwards, staring heavily at the ground between his
feet. "I ask myself," he said, "if I am any better than a thief."

"Bertie!" There was quick distress in her voice this time. "But you have
done nothing wrong," she declared vehemently, "nothing whatever!"

He shook his head in silence, not looking at her.

"And you are ill," she went on, passing the matter by as if not trusting
herself. "What will you do? Where will you go?"

He sat up slowly and faced her. "I go to London," he said, "and I must
start now. Do not be anxious for me, Christine. I have money enough. Mr.
Mordaunt offered me more this morning. But I had no need of it, and I
refused."

He spoke quite steadily. He was braced for the ordeal. He would be strong
until the need for strength was past.

But with Chris it was otherwise. For her there was no prospect of
relaxation. She was but at the be