It would not be safe to say of this young man that he readily diagnosed a spiritual atmosphere, but this was the less his demerit, since everything from his cradle up had conspired to keep the spiritual thermometer of his surroundings at 60 in the shade.  And the fact that his own spiritual thermometer had now run up so that it threatened to burst the bulb, rendered him less likely than ever to see what was happening with other people’s.  Yet, he did notice that Barbara was looking pale, and—­it seemed—­sweeter than ever....  With her eldest brother he always somehow felt ill at ease.  He could not exactly afford to despise an uncompromising spirit in one of his own order, but he was no more impervious than others to Miltoun’s caustic, thinly-veiled contempt for the commonplace; and having a full-blooded belief in himself—–­usual with men of fine physique, whose lots are so cast that this belief can never or almost never be really shaken—­he greatly disliked the feeling of being a little looked down on.  It was an intense relief, when, saying that he wanted a certain magazine, Miltoun strode off into the town.

To Harbinger, no less than to Miltoun and Barbara, last night had been bitter and restless.  The sight of that pale swaying figure, with the parted lips, whirling round in Courtier’s arms, had clung to his vision ever since, the Ball.  During his own last dance with her he had been almost savagely silent; only by a great effort restraining his tongue from mordant allusions to that ‘prancing, red-haired fellow,’ as he secretly called the champion of lost causes.  In fact, his sensations there and since had been a revelation, or would have teen if he could have stood apart to see them.  True, he had gone about next day with his usual cool, off-hand manner, because one naturally did not let people see, but it was with such an inner aching and rage of want and jealousy as to really merit pity.  Men of his physically big, rather rushing, type, are the last to possess their souls in patience.  Walking home after the Ball he had determined to follow her down to the sea, where she had said, so maliciously; that she was going.  After a second almost sleepless night he had no longer any hesitation.  He must see her!  After all, a man might go to his own ‘place’ with impunity; he did not care if it were a pointed thing to do....  Pointed!  The more pointed the better!  There was beginning to be roused in him an ugly stubbornness of male determination.  She should not escape him!

But now that he was walking at her side, all that determination and assurance melted to perplexed humility.  He marched along by his horse with his head down, just feeling the ache of being so close to her and yet so far; angry with his own silence and awkwardness, almost angry with her for her loveliness, and the pain it made him suffer.  When they reached the house, and she left him at the stable-yard, saying she was going to get some flowers, he jerked the beast’s