all right. Don't bother about me."

"We shall bother!" said Rachel with energy, "but I'll tell you all about
it presently. He won't stay to supper."

She descended from the table, and Ellesborough rose. After a little more
chat about the day and its doings, he said good-night to Janet.

"How do you get back?"

"Oh, I left my bike in the village. I shall walk and pick it up there."

Rachel took up her thick coat and slipped it on again. She would walk
with him to the road, she said--there were some more things to say.

Janet watched them go out into the wide frosty night, where the sky was
shedding its clouds, and the temperature was falling rapidly. She
realized that they were in that stage of passion when everything is
unreal outside the one supreme thing, and all other life passes like a
show half-seen. And all the while the name Tanner--Dick Tanner--echoed
in her mind. Such a simple thing to put a careless question to Rachel!
Yet perhaps--after all--not so simple.

Meanwhile the two lovers were together on the path through the stubbles,
walking hand-in-hand through the magic of the moonlight.

"Will you write a little line to my mother to-morrow?"

"Yes, of course. But--"

He caught her long breath.

"I have prepared the way, darling. I promise you--it will be all right."

"But why--why--didn't I see you first?" It was a stifled cry, which
seemed somehow to speak for them both. And she added, bitterly, "It's no
good talking--it can't ever be the same--to you, or to your people."

"It shall be the same! Or rather, we shall owe you a double share of love
to make up to you--for that horrible time. Forget it, dear--make yourself
forget it. My mother would tell you so at once."

"Isn't she--very strict about divorce?"

Ellesborough hesitated--just a moment.

"She couldn't have any doubts about your case--dearest--who could? You
fell among thieves, and--"

"And you're picking me up, and taking me to the inn?"

He pressed her hand passionately. They walked in silence till the gate
appeared.

"Go back, dearest. I shall be over on Sunday."

"Not till then?"

"I'm afraid not. If the peace news comes tomorrow, the camp'll go mad,
and I shall have to look after them."

They paused at the gate, and he kissed her. She lay passive in his arms,
the moonlight touched her brown hair, and the beautiful curves of her
cheek and throat.

"Wasn't it heavenly to-day?" she whispered.

"Heavenly! Go home!"

She