easy?" she questioned.

"Yes--yes! He was glad enough of the chance to give it back. He
only acted on impulse, ye see, and Kieff was pushing behind. He'd
never have done it but for Kieff. Very likely he'll pull round now
and lead a respectable life," said Kelly cheerily. "He's got the
stuff in him, ye know, if he'd only let it grow."

She smiled wanly at his optimism. "Oh, do beg him to try!" she
said.

"I'll do me best," promised Kelly. "Anyway, don't you worry! It's
a sheer waste of time and never helped anybody yet."

His cheerful attitude helped her, small as was her hope for Guy's
reformation. Moreover, she knew that Kelly would keep his word.
He would certainly do his best for Guy.

He took his leave of her almost immediately, declaring it was the
busiest day of his life, but assuring her that he would ride over
to Blue Hill Farm to see her on the earliest opportunity with the
greatest pleasure in the world.

She asked him somewhat nervously at parting if the death of Kieff
were likely to hinder their return, but he laughed at the notion.
Why, of course not! Burke hadn't killed the man. Such affairs as
the one she had witnessed the night before were by no means unusual
in Brennerstadt. Besides, it was a clear case of opium poisoning,
and everyone had known that he would die of it sooner or later. It
was the greatest mercy he had, gone, and so she wasn't to worry
about that! No one would have any regrets for Kieff except the
people he had ruined.

And so with wholesome words of reassurance he left her, and she
went to prepare for her journey.

When Burke joined her again, they spoke only of casual things,
avoiding all mention of Guy or Kieff by tacit consent. He was very
considerate for her, making every possible provision for her
comfort, but his manner was aloof, almost forbidding. There was no
intimacy between them, no confidence, no comradeship.

They reached Ritzen in the late afternoon. Burke suggested
spending the night there, but she urged him to continue the
journey. The heat of the day was over; there was no reason for
lingering. So they found their horses, and started on the long
ride home.

They rode side by side along the dusty track through a barren waste
that made the eyes ache. A heavy stillness hung over the land,
making the loneliness seem more immense. They scarcely spoke at
all, and it came to Sylvia that they were stranger to each other
now than they had been