was gazing blankly at the
closed door.

"Next June," I heard a voice echo; and there, looking at me with a
smile, was Locasto.

CHAPTER VIII

It comes like a violent jar to be awakened so rudely from a trance of
love, to turn suddenly from the one you care for most in all the world,
and behold the one you have best reason to hate. Nevertheless, it is not
in human nature to descend rocket-wise from the ethereal heights of
love. I was still in an exalted state of mind when I turned and
confronted Locasto. Hate was far from my heart, and when I saw the man
himself was regarding me with no particular unfriendliness, I was
disposed to put aside for the moment all feelings of enmity. The
generosity of the victor glowed within me.

As he advanced to me his manner was almost urbane in its geniality.

"You must forgive me," he said, not without dignity, "for overhearing
you; but by chance I was passing and dropped upon you before I realised
it."

He extended his hand frankly.

"I trust my congratulations on your good luck will not be entirely
obnoxious. I know that my conduct in this affair cannot have impressed
you in a very favourable light; but I am a badly beaten man. Can't you
be generous and let by-gones be by-gones? Won't you?"

I had not yet come down to earth. I was still soaring in the rarefied
heights of love, and inclined to a general amnesty towards my enemies.

As he stood there, quiet and compelling, there was an assumption of
frankness and honesty about this man that it was hard to withstand. For
the nonce I was persuaded of his sincerity, and weakly I surrendered my
hand. His grip made me wince.

"Yes, again I congratulate you. I know and admire her. They don't make
them any better. She's pure gold. She's a little queen, and the man she
cares for ought to be proud and happy. Now, I'm a man of the world, I'm
cynical about woman as a rule. I respect my mother and my
sisters--beyond that----" He shrugged his shoulders expressively.

"But this girl's different. I always felt in her presence as I used to
feel twenty-five years ago when I was a youth, with all my ideals
untarnished, my heart pure, and woman holy in my sight."

He sighed.

"You know, young man, I've never told it to a soul before, but I'd give
all I'm worth--a clear million--to have those days back. I've never been
happy since."

He drew away quickly from the verge of sentiment.

"Well, you mustn't mind me taking an interes