le to
carry Anne half across the street; he was a little, thin fellow,
scarcely as tall as Anne herself.

But I could have carried her, easily as Loris was doing, if I'd had the
chance and the right.

Yet his was the right; I knew that well, for I had seen the look in her
eyes as she greeted him just now. How could I have been such a conceited
fool as to imagine she loved me, even for a moment! What I had dared to
hope--to think--was love, was nothing of the kind; merely frank
_camaraderie_. It was in that spirit she had welcomed me; calling me
"Maurice," as she had done during the last week or two of her stay at
Mary's; but somehow I felt that though we had met again at last, she was
immeasurably removed from me; and the thought was a bitter one! She
loved me in a way,--yes, as her friend, her good comrade. Well, hadn't I
told myself for months past that I must be content with that?

CHAPTER XLII

THE DESERTED HUNTING LODGE

Our own horses were already at the appointed place, together with
Pavloff and the Duke's little band of "recruits;" sturdy young _moujiks_
these, as I saw now by the gray light of dawn, cleaner and more
intelligent-looking than most of their class.

They were freshly horsed, for they had taken advantage of the confusion
in the town to "commandeer" re-mounts,--as they say in South Africa.
There were horses for Anne, and her cousin, too. Pavloff, like his son,
was a man who forgot nothing.

Anne had already revived from the faintness that overcame her on the
steps of the synagogue. I had heard her talking to Loris, as we came
along; more than once she declared she was quite able to walk, but he
only shook his head and strode on.

He set her down now, and seemed to be demurring about her horse. I heard
her laugh,--how well I knew that laugh!--though I had already swung
myself into the saddle and edged a little away.

"It is not the first time I have had to ride thus. Look you, Maurice, it
goes well enough, does it not?" she said, riding towards me.

I had to look round at that.

She was mounted astride, as I've seen girls ride in the Western States.
She had slipped off the skirt of her dark riding-habit, and flung it
over her right arm; and was sitting square in her saddle, her long coat
reaching to the tops of her high riding-boots.

I felt a lump come to my throat as I looked at the gallant, graceful
figure, at the small proud head with its wealth of bright hair gleaming
unde