Then, at his tardy summons, the door of her house opened to him.  He went in and stood in the faded drawing-room, where the damask curtain folds were drawn against the primrose dusk and a single light glimmered like a star high among the pendant prisms of the chandelier.

Later a servant came and gave the room more light.  Then he waited for a long while.  And at last she entered.

Her hands were cold—­he noticed it as the fingers touched his, briefly, and were withdrawn.  She had scarcely glanced at him, and she had not yet uttered a word when they were seated.  It lay with him, entirely, so far.

“What a lazy hound I have been,” he said, smiling; “I have no excuses to save my hide—­no dogs ever have.  Are you well, Ailsa?”

She made the effort:  “Yes, perfectly.  I fear—­” Her eyes rested on his marred and haggard face; she said no more because she could not.

He made, leisurely, all proper and formal inquiries concerning the Craigs and those he had met there, mentioned pleasantly his changed fortunes; spoke of impending and passing events, of the war, of the movement of troops, of the chances for a battle, which the papers declared was imminent.

Old Jonas shuffled in with the Madeira and a decanter of brandy, it being now nearly eight o’clock.

Later, while Berkley was still carelessly bearing the burden of conversation, the clock struck nine times; and in another incredibly brief interval, it struck ten.

He started to rise, and encountered her swiftly lifted eyes.  And a flush grew and deepened on his face, and he resumed his place in silence.  When again he was seated she drew, unconsciously, a long, deep breath, and inclined her head to listen.  But Berkley had no more to say to her—­and much that he must not say to her.  And she waited a long while, eyes bent steadily on the velvet carpet at her feet.

The silence endured too long; she knew it, but could not yet break it, or the spell which cradled her tired heart, or the blessed surcease from the weariness of waiting.

Yet the silence was lasting too long, and must be broken quickly.

She looked up, startled, as he rose to take his leave.  It was the only way, now, and she knew it.  And, oh, the time had sped too fast for her, and her heart failed her for all the things that remained unsaid—­all the kindness she had meant to give him, all the counsel, the courage, the deep sympathy, the deeper friendship.

But her hand lay limply, coldly in his; her lips were mute, tremulously curving; her eyes asked nothing more.

“Good night, Ailsa.”

“Good night.”

There was colour, still, in his marred young face, grace, still, in his body, in the slightly lowered head as he looked down at her.

“I must not come again, Ailsa.”

Then her pulses died.  “Why?”

“Because—­I am afraid to love you.”