'It was nice of you to come,' she said, as they reached the bench near

the pond. 'I wanted to see you.' 'And I wanted you to see me,' Lushington laughed a little, remembering

how she had seen him the last time, after his fall, in very bad clothes

and much damaged, particularly as to his nose.

'You certainly look more civilised,' Margaret said.

'Did Logotheti tell you anything about what happened after you left

us?' asked Lushington, suddenly.

Margaret's face lost its expression for a moment. It was exactly as if,

while sitting in the full sunshine, a little cloud had blown across the

sun, taking the golden light out of her face.

'I have not seen Monsieur Logotheti since that day,' she said.

It was not necessary to tell Lushington that she had seen the Greek

once again on the same afternoon. Her companion seemed surprised.

'That's strange,' he said. 'I supposed you saw him--no, I beg your

pardon, I've no right to suppose anything about you. Please forgive

me.' 'What did you suppose?' asked Margaret in a rather imperative tone.

'We are likely to meet so seldom that I may as well tell you what

happened,' answered Lushington, with more decision than he had formerly

been wont to show. 'I'd just as soon have you know, if you don't mind.' Margaret leaned back in her seat, and pulled the garden hat over her

eyes. It was warm, and she could see the gnats in the strong light

reflected from the pond.

'He asked me if I wanted to marry you,' Lushington continued. 'I said

that such a thing was impossible. Then he gave me to understand that he

did.' He paused, but as if he had more to say.

'What did you answer?' asked Margaret.

'I said I would keep out of the way, since he was in earnest.' 'Oh!' Margaret uttered the ejaculation in a tone that might have meant

anything, and she watched the gnats darting hither and thither in the

sunshine.

'I did right, didn't I?' asked Lushington after a long pause.

'You meant to,' said Margaret almost roughly. 'I suppose it's the same

thing. You're always so terribly honourable!' Her humour changed suddenly, and there was a shade of contempt in her

voice. She had been very glad to see him a few moments earlier, but now

she wished he would go. She was perhaps just then in the temper to be

won, though she did not know it, and she unconsciously wished that

Lushington would take hold of her and almost hurt her, as Logotheti had

done, instead of being so dreadfully anxious to be told that he had

done right a week ago.




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