the time dusk had set in the little party was back again in
Desmond's compound, the escort deserting them at the gate; and as
Honor Meredith prepared to dismount, Paul Wyndham came forward, a
certain restrained eagerness in his eyes.

"May I?" he asked, with the diffidence of a man unused to making such
requests.

"I generally manage all right, thanks."

"You might make an exception, though--just this once."

For an instant of time his hands supported her--an instant of such
keen sensation that, when it was passed, he pulled himself up
sharply--called himself a fool, and in the same breath wished that she
had been a few degrees less skilful in springing lightly to the
ground.

Ready-made talk was, for the moment, beyond him; and he departed
something hastily, leaving Honor and his friend alone together in the
darkening verandah.

Voices and laughter came out to them from the drawing-room, where
Evelyn and Denvil were carrying on their young foolishness with
undiminished zeal; and Desmond turned upon the girl the irresistible
friendliness of his eyes.

"You enjoyed yourself, I hope,--Miss Meredith?"

"Immensely, thank you,--Captain Desmond."

Her tone was a deliberate echo of his; and their eyes met in mutual
laughter.

"Aren't we good friends enough now to drop the formality?" he asked.
And at the question a lightning vision came to her of the scene on the
hillside, so vividly described by his friend.

"Yes--I think--we are," she said slowly.

"That's right. I think so too."

"I seem to have made quite an advance in that direction this
afternoon," she added, in no little surprise at her own boldness.

"How's that? Paul?"

"Yes."

"Oh! so that was the engrossing subject. I might have known Paul
wasn't likely to be expatiating on himself."

"He gave me a stirring account of a certain day in October, six years
ago," she went on, with an unconscious softening of her voice.

Desmond's short laugh had in it a genuine touch of embarrassment.

"Did he? That was superfluous of him. The good fellow would have done
no less himself in the circumstances. Listen to those two children in
there! How finely they're enjoying themselves! I say, Harry!" he
shouted to the invisible Denvil, who came forth straightway;--a
squarely built, chestnut-haired boy, his sea-blue eyes still full of
laughter; "have you quite decided to invite yourself to dinner?"

"_Rather_--if you'll have me?"

"Of course I'll have you. Cu