l not run too fast when you pursue."

"When you are in London," said I, "you will think with remorse how ill
you used me."

"I shall never think of you at all. Do you forget that there are
gentlemen of wit and breeding at the Court?"

"The devil fly away with every one of them!" cried I suddenly, not
knowing then how well the better part of them would match their escort.

Barbara turned to me; there was a gleam of triumph in the depths of her
dark eyes.

"Perhaps when you hear of me at Court," she cried, "you'll be sorry to
think how----"

But she broke off suddenly, and looked out of the window.

"You'll find a husband there," I suggested bitterly.

"Like enough," said she carelessly.

To be plain, I was in no happy mood. Her going grieved me to the heart,
and that she should go thus incensed stung me yet more. I was jealous of
every man in London town. Had not my argument, then, some reason in it
after all?

"Fare-you-well, madame," said I, with a heavy frown and a sweeping bow.
No player from the Lane could have been more tragic.

"Fare-you-well, sir. I will not detain you, for you have, I know, other
farewells to make."

"Not for a week yet!" I cried, goaded to a show of exultation that
Cydaria stayed so long.

"I don't doubt that you'll make good use of the time," she said, as with
a fine dignity she waved me to the door. Girl as she was, she had caught
or inherited the grand air that great ladies use.

Gloomily I passed out, to fall into the hands of my lord, who was
walking on the terrace. He caught me by the arm, laughing in
good-humoured mockery.

"You've had a touch of sentiment, eh, you rogue?" said he. "Well,
there's little harm in that, since the girl leaves us to-morrow."

"Indeed, my lord, there was little harm," said I, long-faced and rueful.
"As little as my lady herself could wish." (At this he smiled and
nodded.) "Mistress Barbara will hardly so much as look at me."

He grew graver, though the smile still hung about his lips.

"They gossip about you in the village, Simon," said he. "Take a friend's
counsel, and don't be so much with the lady at the cottage. Come, I
don't speak without reason." He nodded at me as a man nods who means
more than he will say. Indeed, not a word more would he say, so that
when I left him I was even more angry than when I parted from his
daughter. And, the nature of man being such as Heaven has made it, what
need to say that I bent my steps to the cot