ays. As far as he could find out, Ashton had not yet
been married. Supposing it had all been bluff when he said he was
going to be married--supposing he turned up again in London?

Micky stayed as long as he could in case Esther came in; it was only
when he began to feel sure that June knew why he was dragging his
visit to such a length that he said he ought to be going.

"There's no hurry," she said kindly. "Why not wait till Esther comes
in?"

Micky shook his head; he said he couldn't spare the time, but in his
heart he knew quite well that he intended to wait.

"I suppose she--er--she never talks any more about taking a job now,
eh?" he asked after a moment.

"No, I don't think so; that man's word is law to her, you know. I
believe if he said 'Come out here and marry me at once,' she'd fly off
by the next train. As a matter of fact, I'm expecting something of the
sort almost daily."

"I don't think she'll do that," Micky said. He stood back to the fire,
with his hands in his pockets, staring up at the ceiling.

"No!" June watched him quizzically. "Do you know, Micky," she said at
last, "that I consider you've altered a lot lately?"

He swung round at once, and scrutinised himself in the glass over the
mantelshelf.

"For the worse, or the better?" he asked anxiously. "I know I never
was exactly an Adonis."

She laughed merrily.

"I don't mean your face, stupid, but yourself. You're quieter, you
don't go about so much; in fact"--she challenged him deliberately--"I
believe you're in love."

"So I am," said Micky stolidly.

She pretended not to take him seriously.

"It's no joking matter--I mean what I say."

"So do I," said Micky. He laughed. He came over to where she was
sitting, and stood behind her chair so that she could not see his
face. "I've tried to make up my mind to tell you lots of times," he
said. "But I thought perhaps you'd have guessed before now...." He
stopped and moved away restlessly.

June sat very still; presently--

"It's Esther," she said quietly.

"Yes."

"Poor old Micky!..."

"You needn't be sorry for me; I walked into it with my eyes wide open.
I knew she was engaged--I knew it all the time."

"And Esther ... does she know? Have you told her?"

"Yes.... She took it as an insult. Perhaps it was; I don't know. You
see, I knew she was engaged to that other fellow."

"An outsider! who isn't worth a thought," June cried indignantly.
"Micky, however could she have refu