, and though he smiled as in duty bound
she caught a deep throb in his voice that pierced straight through her.
"I love you all the better for it." Then, before she could find words to
protest, "I say, I believe it's left off raining. Hadn't we better go
while we can?"

She turned to look. A pale light was shining from the western sky. The
storm was over. The raindrops glittered in the growing radiance. The
whole earth seemed transformed. "Yes, let us go!" she said, and stepped
down into a world of crystal clearness.

He followed her, his face uplifted to the scattering drops, moving with a
free and faun-like spring that seemed to mark him as a being closely
allied to Nature, curiously vital yet also curiously self-restrained.

She did not look at him again, but as they passed together through the
wonderland which with every moment was growing to a more amazing
brightness, she told herself that there was little of midsummer madness
about this man's emotions. Jest as he might, she knew by instinct that he
was vitally in earnest and she had a strange conviction that it was for
the first time in his life. The certainty disquited her. Had she fled
from one danger to another--she who only asked for peace?

But she reassured herself with the thought that he had held her against
his heart, and he had not sought to take her. That forbearance of his
gave him a greatness in her eyes to which no other man had ever attained.
And gradually a sense of security to which she was little accustomed came
about her heart and comforted her. She had warned him. Surely he
understood!

CHAPTER III

A DRAWN BATTLE

Almost in silence they passed up through the dripping garden to the house
side by side, Columbus trotting demurely behind. Juliet was still
limping, but she would not accept support.

"I suppose you are going to beard the lion in his den," she said as they
drew near.

"I suppose I am," said Green. "If you hear sounds of a serious fracas,
perhaps you will come to the rescue."

"Not to yours," she said lightly. "You are more than capable of holding
your own--anywhere."

He flashed her his sudden look. "Do you really think so? I assure you I
am considered very small fry, indeed, in this household."

"That's very good for you," said Juliet.

They mounted to the terrace that bounded the south front of the house,
and entered by a glass door that led into a conservatory. Here for a
moment Juliet paused. Her grey eye