stretched. "My dear, dear girl!"
he said.

Her hand lay in his, held in a clasp such as Hugh Chesyl had never
before given her, and then all in a moment she withdrew it.

"Why, where have you come from?" she said, with a little nervous laugh.

His eyes looked straight down to hers. "I've been yachting," he said,
"along Argyll and Skye. I didn't know till the day before yesterday
about the poor old Colonel. I came straight back directly I knew, got
here this morning, but heard that you had gone to town. I was going to
follow you straightway, but the squire wouldn't hear of it. You know
what he is. So I had to compromise and spend one night with him. By
Jove! it's a bit of luck finding you here. I'm pleased, Doris, jolly
pleased. I've been worried to death about you--never moved so fast in my
life."

"Haven't you?" said Doris; she was still smiling a small, tired smile.
"But why? I don't see."

"Don't you?" said Hugh. "How shall I explain? You have got such a rooted
impression of me as a slacker that I am half afraid of taking your
breath away."

She laughed again, not very steadily. "Oh, are you turning over a new
leaf? I am delighted to hear it."

He smiled also, his eyes upon hers. "Well, I am, in a way. It's come to
me lately that I've been an utter ass all this time. I expect you've
been thinking the same, haven't you?"

"No, I don't think so," said Doris.

"No? That's nice of you," said Hugh. "But it's the truth nevertheless. I
haven't studied the art of expressing myself properly. I can't do it
even yet. But it occurred to me--it just occurred to me--that perhaps
I'd never succeeded in making you understand how awfully badly I want to
marry you. I think I never told you so. I always somehow took it for
granted that you knew. But now--especially now, Doris, when you're in
trouble--I want you more than ever. Even if you can't love me as I love
you--"

He stopped, for she had flung out her hands with an almost agonized
gesture, and her eyes implored him though she spoke no word.

"Won't you listen to me just this once--just this once?" he pleaded. "My
dear, I love you so. I love you enough for both if you'll only marry
me, and give me the chance of making you happy."

An unwonted note of feeling sounded in his voice. He stretched out his
hand to her.

"Doris, darling, won't you change your mind? I'm miserable without you."

And then very suddenly Doris found her voice. She spoke with breathless
entr