She gave him a faint smile.  “It doesn’t matter.  You understand, don’t you?  I must go—­to Dick.”

He nodded.  “Yes—­yes!  Is the boy—­dead?”

“No.  It was a fall over the cliff.  It happened last night.  They didn’t find him for hours.  He is going fast.  Jack brought me this.”  She glanced down at the letter in her hand.

He made a half-gesture to take it, checking himself sharply.  “I beg your pardon, Juliet, I hardly know what I’m doing.  It’s from Dick, is it?”

Very quietly she gave it to him.  “You may read it.  You have a right to know,” she said.

He gave her an odd look.  “May I?  Are you sure?”

“Read it!” she said.

He opened it.  His fingers were trembling.  She stood at his shoulder and read it with him.  The words were few, containing the bald statement, but no summons.

The squire read them, breathing heavily.  Suddenly he thrust his arm round Juliet and held her fast.

“Juliet!  You’ll be good to my boy—­good to Dick?”

Her eyes met his.  “That is why I am going to him,” she said.  She took the note and folded it, standing within the circle of his arm.

“I’d go to him myself—­if I could,” Fielding went on unevenly.  “He’ll feel this—­damnably.  He was simply devoted to that unfortunate boy.”

“I know,” said Juliet.

Again he put his hand to his eyes.  “I’ve been a beast about Robin.  Ask him to forgive me, Juliet!  Tell him I’m awfully sorry, that I’ll come as soon as I can get away.  And if there’s anything he wants—­anything under the sun—­he’s to have it.  See?  Make him understand!”

“He will understand,” Juliet said quietly.

He looked at her again.  “Don’t let him fret, Juliet!” he said urgently.  “You’ll comfort him, won’t you?  I know I’m always rating him, but he’s such a good chap.  You—­you love him, don’t you?”

“Yes,” she said.

“God bless you for that!” he said earnestly.  “I can’t tell you what he is to me—­can’t explain.  But—­but—­”

“I—­understand,” she said

“What?” He stared at her for a moment.  “What—­do you understand?”

“I know what he is to you,” she said gently.  “I have known—­for a long time.  Never mind how!  Nobody told me.  It just came to me one day.”

“Ah!” Impulsively he broke in.  “You see everything.  I’m afraid of you, Juliet.  But look here!  You won’t—­you won’t—­make him suffer—­for my sins?”

Her hand pressed his arm.  “What am I?” she said.  “Have I any right to judge anyone?  Besides—­oh, besides—­do you think I could possibly go to him if I did not feel that nothing on earth matters now—­except our love?”

She spoke with deep emotion.  She was quivering from head to foot.  He bent very low to kiss the hand upon his arm.

“And you will have your reward,” he said huskily.  “Don’t forget—­it’s the only thing in life that really counts!  There’s nothing else—­nothing else.”