‘Well, here’s your way home,’ said he with an effort at friendliness.  ’Goodbye; we’ve had a nice evening anyhow.  It was pleasant down there in the woods, eh?’

He was astonished to see her eyes soften with tears, and to hear the real emotion in her voice as she answered, ’It was just heaven down there with you until you turned so funny-like.  What had I done to make you cross?  Say you forgive me, do!’

‘Silly child!’ said Willoughby, completely mollified, ’I’m not the least angry.  There, goodbye!’ and like a fool he kissed her.

He anathematized his folly in the white light of next morning, and, remembering the kiss he had given her, repented it very sincerely.  He had an uncomfortable suspicion she had not received it in the same spirit in which it had been bestowed, but, attaching more serious meaning to it, would build expectations thereon which must be left unfulfilled.  It was best indeed not to meet her again; for he acknowledged to himself that, though he only half liked, and even slightly feared her, there was a certain attraction about her—­was it in her dark unflinching eyes or in her very red lips?—­which might lead him into greater follies still.

Thus it came about that for two successive evenings Esther waited for him in vain, and on the third evening he said to himself, with a grudging relief, that by this time she had probably transferred her affections to someone else.

It was Saturday, the second Saturday since he left town.  He spent the day about the farm, contemplated the pigs, inspected the feeding of the stock, and assisted at the afternoon milking.  Then at evening, with a refilled pipe, he went for a long lean over the west gate, while he traced fantastic pictures and wove romances in the glories of the sunset clouds.

He watched the colours glow from gold to scarlet, change to crimson, sink at last to sad purple reefs and isles, when the sudden consciousness of someone being near him made him turn round.  There stood Esther, and her eyes were full of eagerness and anger.

‘Why have you never been to the stile again?’ she asked him.  ’You promised to come faithful, and you never came.  Why have you not kep’ your promise?  Why?  Why?’ she persisted, stamping her foot because Willoughby remained silent.

What could he say?  Tell her she had no business to follow him like this; or own, what was, unfortunately, the truth, he was just a little glad to see her?

‘Praps you don’t care for me any more?’ she said.  ’Well, why did you kiss me, then?’

Why, indeed! thought Willoughby, marvelling at his own idiocy, and yet—­such is the inconsistency of man—­not wholly without the desire to kiss her again.  And while he looked at her she suddenly flung herself down on the hedge-bank at his feet and burst into tears.  She did not cover up her face, but simply pressed one cheek down upon the grass while the water poured from her eyes with