I could not help seeing that Lilian was not nearly so much impressed by my elaborate concern as her relatives; and sometimes I detected an incredulous look in her frank brown eyes that made me very uneasy. Little by little, a rift widened between us, until at last in despair I determined to know the worst before the time came when it would be hopeless to speak at all. I chose a Sunday evening as we were walking across the green from church in the golden dusk, and then I ventured to speak to her of my love. She heard me to the end, and was evidently very much agitated. At last she murmured that it could not be, unless--no, it never could be now. 'Unless what?' I asked. 'Lilian--Miss Roseblade, something has come between us lately: you will tell me what that something is, won't you?' 'Do you want to know _really_?' she said, looking up at me through her tears. 'Then I'll tell you: it--it's Bingo!' I started back overwhelmed. Did she know all? If not, how much did she suspect? I must find out that at once! 'What about Bingo?' I managed to pronounce, with a dry tongue. 'You never l-loved him when he was here,' she sobbed; 'you know you didn't!' I was relieved to find it was no worse than this. 'No,' I said candidly; 'I did not love Bingo. Bingo didn't love _me_, Lilian; he was always looking out for a chance of nipping me somewhere. Surely you won't quarrel with me for that!' 'Not for that,' she said; 'only, why do you pretend to be so fond of him now, and so anxious to get him back again? Uncle John believes you, but _I_ don't. I can see quite well that you wouldn't be glad to find him. You could find him easily if you wanted to!' 'What do you mean, Lilian?' I said hoarsely. '_How_ could I find him?' Again I feared the worst. 'You're in a Government office,' cried Lilian and if you only chose, you could easily g-get G-Government to find Bingo! What's the use of Government if it can't do that? Mr. Travers would have found him long ago if I'd asked him!' Lilian had never been so childishly unreasonable as this before, and yet I loved her more madly than ever; but I did not like this allusion to Travers, a rising barrister, who lived with his sister in a pretty cottage near the station, and had shown symptoms of being attracted by Lilian. He was away on circuit just then, luckily, but at least even he would have found it a hard task to find Bingo--there was comfort in that. 'You know that isn't just, Lilian,' I observed 'But only tell me what you want me to do?' 'Bub--bub--bring back Bingo!' she said. 'Bring back Bingo!' I cried in horror. 'But suppose I _can't_--suppose he's out of the country, or--dead, what then, Lilian?'