f tea from
Diana's dainty hands, poured out for him by Meryl.

Only, as they twitted each other in slow, easy tones, neither of them
attempted to include Carew, who sat a little apart in the darkness
smoking his beloved pipe; and when they rose to turn in, he merely
acknowledged their pleasant "Good night, sir," with a short "Good
night" in reply, and made no movement himself. Even when the lights
at the hill-side tents went out he still sat on, alone with the night
and the stars. Later, because he knew he should not sleep, he started
off up the valley towards the store, feeling a need for action.

And all the time, under the covering darkness, his face seemed to grow
graver and graver. He was too wise not to know when danger threatened,
and too direct not to face it squarely at once. And the danger that
seemed to threaten him now was the likelihood that if he saw much of
Meryl Pym he would grow to love her, and perhaps she would reciprocate
his love, and for them both there would be only a great pain. That it
could by any possibility be anything else did not enter his
cogitations. According to his own ideas he could not marry, and least
of all could he marry the only child of a millionaire. And it seemed
to him further that if he cut off all intercourse at once the danger
would be averted. He was quite satisfied in his own mind that the
evident attraction had not had time to sink very far down. In two or
three days she would go away again and he would go on with his work,
and it would all be the same as if they had never met. Manifestly the
chief consideration now was to avoid any further friendliness
whatever, except the merest courtesy which had obtained at the
beginning. If possible, he decided it would be better not to meet any
more at all. When a man is strong in one thing, he is usually strong
in others; and the quiet strength that had enabled him to break away
from an old life of leisure and ease and excitement, and build up
another life for himself on entirely different lines in a new country,
helped him now quietly to make his decision and try to take the
simple, direct course, out of a threatening danger.

And yet it was not entirely easy; the simple, direct way very seldom
is. Byways are apt to have softer grass for the feet, deeper shade
from the sun, smoother banks to rest upon. The direct, straightforward
way often goes on mercilessly up the steep hill, having sharp flints
in its pathway, cold winds, d