GHT be coming
back?'

'Ah, that I don't know; so perhaps it would be as well not to mention
him at all. Is Miss Alice there?'

'I said I would tell her if you were alone. But I hope you'll understand
that it was only because she begged so. Mistress has gone to St Peter's
bazaar; and that's how it was.'

'I quite understand. Beckon to her.'

There came a hasty step in the hall and a hurried murmur of explanation.
Lawford heard her call as she ran up the stairs; and the next moment
he had Alice's hand in his and they were groping together through the
gloaming back into the solitude of the empty room again.

'Don't be alarmed, dear,' he heard himself imploring. Just hold tight
to that clear common sense, and above all you won't tell? It must be our
secret; a dead, dead secret from every one, even your mother, for just
a little while; just a mere two days or so--in case. I'm--I'm better,
dear.'

He fumbled with the little box of matches, dropped one, broke another;
but at last the candle-flame dipped, brightened, and with the door shut
and the last pale blueness of dusk at the window Lawford turned and
looked at his daughter. She stood with eyes wide open, like the eyes
of a child walking in its sleep; then twisted her fingers more tightly
within his. 'Oh, dearest, how ill, how ill you look,' she whispered.
'But there, never mind--never mind. It was all a miserable dream, then;
it won't, it can't come back? I don't think I could bear its coming
back. And mother told me such curious things; as if I were a child and
understood nothing. And even after I knew that you were you--I mean
before I sat up here in the dark to see you--she said that you were
gone and would never come back; that a terrible thing had happened--a
disgrace which we must never speak of; and that all the other was only
a pretence to keep people from talking. But I did not believe then, and
how could I believe afterwards?'

'There, never mind now, dear, what she said. It was all meant for the
best, perhaps. But here I am; and not nearly so ill as I look, Alice;
and there's nothing more to trouble ourselves about; not even if it
should be necessary for me to go away for a time. And this is our
secret, mind; ours only; just a dead secret between you and me.'

They sat for awhile without speaking or stirring. And faintly along the
hushed road Lawford heard in the silence a leisurely indolent beat of
little hoofs approaching, and the sound of wheels. A