They stayed very little longer, and when at parting, after receiving a long, earnest pressure from Clotilde's hand, Glen turned to Marie and took hers, most grudgingly held out, he found time to whisper: "Don't be angry with me; surely we ought to be the best of friends." Marie's heart gave a great throb as she felt the warm pressure of his hand, and in spite of herself she could not help her eyes lifting to meet his in a gaze that was full of sadness and reproach. "Oh, come, I say, Glen, old fellow," cried Dick as soon as they were well outside the gates. "You do go it, you do! Only just known her." "Hold your tongue, do! Hang it, Millet, there are things a man ought not to see." "Oh, very well, then, I'm as blind as a beetle and as quiet as a fish. I didn't see anything; but, I say, didn't it make Marie cross!" "Oh, of course. She was surprised." "I tried to keep her in the drawing-room, but she was nervous and frightened--poor little darling!--at being alone with me, and I was obliged to let her come at last, or there would have been a scene." There was something very suggestive of a dapper little bantam paying his addresses to a handsome young pullet in the boy's remarks anent the "poor little darling"; but Glen was too much troubled just then to pay much heed, so his companion prattled on. For Glen was not satisfied: he wished that Clotilde had not been so yielding. Then he excused her. She was so sweet and innocent. She had been so restrained and kept down; all was so fresh to her, that her young love, he told himself, was like Haidee's, and like some bird she had flown unhesitatingly to his breast. It was very delicious, but, all the same, he wished that it was all to come, and that she had been more retiring and reserved. Still, she loved him. There was no doubt of that, and perceiving that he was dreamy, and strange, and likely to excite notice from his companion, he roused himself from the reverie. "Well, Dick," he cried, laughing, "what have you to say now to your story of the patriarchs?" "Well, I don't know. I suppose it must be all a flam." "Yes, there's no doubt about that, and you have wasted a sovereign that might have gone in buttonholes and gloves." "Oh, no--not wasted," cried the little fellow. "Decidedly not. Oh, no, my dear boy, my experience teaches me that it is always as well in such matters to have a friend at court." "I say, young fellow," cried Glen, who had cast off his reserve, and was now making an effort to be merry, "you say, `in these affairs'! In the name of commonsense, how many love affairs do you happen to have had?" "Well, really," said the boy importantly, "I don't exactly know. Somehow or another, I did begin early." Glen laughed merrily, and went on chatting away; but somehow the thoughts of Marie's reproachful eyes were mingled largely with those of Clotilde's longing, loving gaze, and there were times when he did not know whether he was most happy or most vexed.