nguine, and amused himself by reconstructing his Spanish castle.

Vera Nugent gave him no encouragement; and perhaps overdid it. "Hadn't
you really better let the woman alone? She's perfectly happy--in spite
of you." He could afford to laugh at this.

"She doesn't know what happiness is. She thinks it is safety. I could
teach her better."

"You've made a great mess of it so far," Vera said. He ignored that.

"You say that she's happy. I suggest that she is merely snug. That's
what a dormouse calls happiness."

"Well, there's a good deal of the dormouse in Lucy," Vera said. "If
you stroke her she shines."

"Silence!" he cried sharply out. "You don't know anything at all. I
have had her radiant--like a moonstone. When am I to see her?"

"I'll tell her that you want to see her--but it would be reasonable if
she refused."

"She won't refuse," he said.

* * * * *

James must be told, of course. He took it quietly. "Yes, on the
whole--yes. I don't think you can refuse him that. It will try you."

"It will be horrid--but anyhow you know everything he can say."

"He doesn't know that I do. He'll build on that."

"Build!" said Lucy quickly. "What sort of building?"

"Oh, fantastic architecture. Bowers by Bendemeer. Never mind. Are you
going?"

"Yes," said Lucy slowly. "Yes, I'll go now." She went to him and put
her hands on his shoulders. Her eyes searched his face, and found it
inscrutable. "You mind," she said, "I know you do. You ought not--but
I'm glad of it."

He humbled himself at once. They parted as lovers part; but for the
life of him he could not understand how she could find the heart to
go. With himself, now, it would have been a point of honour not to go.
He did not see that the more a woman loves the more love she has to
spare.

Vera Nugent took her into the room, pausing outside the door. "You'll
find him very jumpy," she said; and then, "My dear, you're so
sensible."

Lucy, who knew that she meant precisely the opposite, said, "No, I
don't think I am. I'm excitable myself. What do you want me to do?"

"Keep cool," said Vera. "He won't like it, but it's important." Then
they went in. "Jimmy, here's Mrs. Macartney."

The quick eyes from the bed had been upon her from the first. It was
immediately evident to her that she was not to be spared. She heard
his "At last!" and braced herself for what that might mean.

"I should have come before if the doctors had a