"And you mustn't be vexed if I am still shut up when you come to see us, because I know Sue means this to go on for ever so long. Sue thinks it only proper, you know. She is not in the least unkind, she believes she is doing just what I would wish, and she would be awfully ashamed of me if I wished anything else," continued Leo, jumping across a puddle with a freer and lighter step than she had come out with, or indeed trod with, since coming back to the Abbey. "Up the bank, Val. Go first, and I'll follow. Oh, no, we won't turn back; it is only here that the water lies; I often come along this path, and it is quite dry directly you are round the corner." "You often come here? When? Do you come in the mornings, or afternoons?"--he threw over his shoulder, still leading the way. "I don't know. Whenever it's fine. Stop a moment; I'm caught;" and she disengaged a sprawling bramble. "It's a pity I put on this skirt," continued Leo ruefully, examining an ugly cross-tear. "It's too good. I only meant to go to the village." "Well, but if I don't know when you come, how can I meet you here?" persevered he, pursuing his own line of thought. "I can't hang about all the time." "Meet me? Oh!" She pondered, for it was a new idea. "I wonder, I suppose you might meet me; but if they knew we had agreed beforehand----" "Of course they're not to know. Sue would put a stopper on it at once." Leo was silent. "That needn't prevent us," continued her companion, holding out a hand for her to spring into the path again. "If I'm not to see you anywhere else, it's only fair----I say, you're a married woman, you can do as you please." "If I did it, I should _do_ it--but I shouldn't _hide_ it. I'll never do anything I don't mean to tell about." It was a once familiar voice which rang the words out, and the speaker shook back a flying curl and tucked it in with a gesture of determination so absolutely that of the old Leo that Val burst out laughing. "Oh, you funny little girl!" Leo however was upon her dignity at this. "I don't think you ought to speak to me like that," said she, "although you are to be my friend,"--for this had been agreed upon--"you must not call me a 'little girl,' and, Val, only the minute before, you reminded me that I was a married woman." "You are such a queer mixture, Leo." "I know. I can't help it." She was off her pedestal as fast as she had hopped on. "I do try to remember, and at Deeside it was quite easy; nobody thought of me as 'funny' or a 'girl' there--but here I seem to be back again just as I was when I left! All the places are the same, the places where we had our accidents and our happenings, and I _can't_ feel different. Only, Val----" she hesitated. "Well?" said he.