d touched him and faced
round upon Juliet as she came out on to the step.

Her face had an exhausted look, but she smiled faintly at the two men as
she joined them.

"She is still living," she said. "The doctor gives just a shade of hope.
But--" She looked at Saltash--"he absolutely forbids her being moved--at
all. I hope it won't be a terrible inconvenience to you."

"It will be a privilege to serve you--or your friends--in any way,"
said Saltash.

"Thank you," she said. "I am sure Mr. Fielding will be very grateful to
you. The doctor is going to send in a nurse. Of course I shall not leave
her. She has come to depend upon me a good deal. And we thought of
telephoning to her maid to bring everything necessary from Shale Court."

"Of course!" said Saltash kindly. "Look here, my dear! Don't for heaven's
sake feel you've got to ask my permission for everything you do! Treat
the place and everyone in it as your own!"

"Thank you," she said again. "Then, Charles, if you're sure you don't
mind, I'll send for my dog as well."

"What! Christopher Columbus? You've got him with you, have you?"
Saltash's smile lighted his dark face. "Lucky animal! Have him over by
all means! I shall be delighted to see him."

"You are very kind," she said, and turned with a hint of embarrassment to
Dick. "Mr. Fielding says that you will want to be getting back and there
is no need to wait. Will you take the little car back to the Court?"

"Certainly," Dick said. "Would you care to give me a list of the things
you want the maid to bring?"

"How kind of you!" she said, and hesitated a moment, looking at him. "But
I think I needn't trouble you. Cox is very sensible. I can make her
understand on the telephone."

He looked back at her, standing very straight. "In that case--I will go,"
he said. "Good-bye!"

She held out her hand to him. "I--shall see you again," she said, and
there was almost a touch of pleading in her voice.

His fingers closed and held. "Yes," he said, and smiled into her eyes
with the words--a smile in which determination and tenderness strangely
mingled. "You will certainly see me again."

And with that he was gone, striding between the massed flowers without
looking back.

"Exit Romeo!" murmured Saltash. "Enter--Kismet!"

But Juliet had already turned away.

CHAPTER V

THE DRIVING FORCE

That Saturday night concert at High Shale entailed a greater effort on
Dick's part than any that had preceded i