Her voice never faltered, but the misery in her eyes cut him to the
heart. In that moment he realised how terribly near he had been to
losing the hardest battle he had ever fought.

He gave her no second glance. Simply, without a word, he stooped and
kissed the hand she had given him; then turned and went noiselessly
away.

He had won indeed, but the only triumph he knew was the pain of a very
human compassion.

Scarcely five minutes after his departure, Daisy let herself out into
the night that lay like a pall above the moaning shore. She went with
lagging feet that often stumbled in the darkness. It was only the
memory of a baby's head against her breast that gave her strength.

CHAPTER XLIII

REQUIESCAT

"I believe I heard a gun in the night," remarked Mrs. Ratcliffe at the
breakfast-table on the following morning.

"Shouldn't be surprised," said Dr. Jim. "I know there was a ship in
distress off Calister yesterday. They damaged the lifeboat trying to
reach her. But the wind seems to have gone down a little this morning.
Do you care for a ride, Muriel?"

Muriel accepted the invitation gladly. She liked accompanying Dr. Jim
upon his rounds. She had arranged to leave two days later, a decision
which the news of Daisy's presence at Brethaven had not affected.
Daisy seemed to have dropped her for good and all, and her pride would
not suffer her to inquire the reason. She had, in fact, begun to think
that Daisy had merely tired of her, and that being so she was the
more willing to go to Mrs. Langdale, whose letters of fussy kindliness
seemed at least to ensure her a cordial welcome.

She had discussed her troubles no further with Dr. Jim. Grange's
letter had in some fashion placed matters beyond discussion. And so
she had only briefly told him that her engagement was at an end, and
he had gruffly expressed his satisfaction thereat. Her one idea now
was to escape from Nick's neighbourhood as speedily as possible. It
possessed her even in her dreams.

She went with Dr. Jim to the surgery when breakfast was over, and sat
down alone in the consulting-room to wait for him. He usually started
on his rounds at ten o'clock, but it wanted a few minutes to the
hour and the motor was not yet at the door. She sat listening for it,
hoping that no one would appear to detain him.

The morning was bright, and the wind had fallen considerably. Through
the window she watched the falling leaves as they eddied in sudd