his eyes ... the stories of the fishermen in the Cove
came back to him ... the Four Stones and the man who had lost his way
... the red tiles and the black rafters of "The Bended Thumb" ... and
then Mary's beauty above it all. Mary on the moors with the wind
blowing through her hair; Mary in the house with the firelight on her
face, Mary ... and then he suddenly started up, wide awake, for he
heard steps on the stair.

He knew them at once--he never doubted that they were Robin's. The
last two steps were taken slowly and with hesitation.

Then he hurried down the passage as though he had suddenly made up his
mind; then, again, there was a long pause before the door. At last
came the knock, timidly, and then another loudly and almost violently.

Harry shouted "Come in," and Robin entered, his face pale and his hands
twisting and untwisting.

"Ah, Robin--do you want anything? Come in--sit down. I've been
asleep."

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I wake you up? No, thanks, I won't sit down. I've
got some things I want to say. I'd rather say them standing up."

There was a long pause. Harry said nothing and stared into the fire.

"I've got a good lot to say altogether." Robin cleared his throat.
"It's rather hard. Perhaps this doesn't seem quite the time--after
grandfather--and--everything--but I couldn't wait very well. I've been
a bit uncomfortable."

"Out with it," said Harry. "This time will do excellently--there's a
pause just now, but to-morrow everything will begin again and there's a
terrible lot to do. What is it?"

Was it, he wondered, Robin's fault or his own that there was that
barrier so strangely defined between them even now? He could feel it
there in the room with them now. He wondered whether Robin felt it as
well.

"It is about what my aunt said to you this morning--and other
things--other things right from the beginning, ever since you came
back. I'm not much of a chap at talking, and probably I shan't say
what I mean, but I will try. I've been thinking about it all lately,
but what made me come and speak to you was this morning--having to ask
you a favour after being so rude to you. A chap doesn't like doing
that, and it made me think--besides there being other things."

"Oh, there's no need to thank me about this morning," Harry said drily;
"I shall be very pleased to do what I can."

"Oh, it isn't that," Robin said quickly. "It isn't about that somehow
that I mind at all now; I