On this thunder-night they met like old friends who had known one another for many years and between whom there had never been anything but comradeship. They did not kiss, but simply touched hands and moved up through the gathering dark to the little bridge below the mill. From here they felt the impact of the chattering water rising to them and falling again like a comment on their talk. "It'll not be many more times," Annie said, "we'll be coming here." "Why?" Falk asked. "Because I'm going up to London whether you come or no--and _soon_ I'm going." He admired nothing in her more than the clear-cut decision of her mind, which moved quietly from point to point, asking no advice, allowing no regrets when the decision was once made. "What has happened since last time?" "Happened? Nothing. Only father and the 'Dog,' and drink. I'm through with it." "And what would you do in London if you went up alone?" She flung up her head suddenly, laughing. "You think I'm helpless, don't you? Well, I'm not." "No, I don't--but you don't know London." "A fearsome place, mebbe, but not more disgustin' than father." There was irritation in his voice as he said: "Then it doesn't matter to you whether I come with you or not?" Her reply was soft. She suddenly put out her hand and took his. "Of course it matters. We're friends. The best friend I'm likely to find, I reckon. What would I be meeting you for all these months if I didn't care for you? Just to be admiring the scenery?--shouldn't like." She laughed softly. She went on: "I'm ready to go with you or without you. If we go together I'm independent, just as though I went without you. I'm independent of every one--father and you and all. I'll marry you if you want me, or I'll live with you without marrying, or I'll live without you and never see you again. I won't say that leaving you wouldn't hurt. It would, after being with you all these weeks; but I'd rather be hurt than be dependent." He held her hand tightly between his two. "Folks 'ud say," she went on, "that I had no right to be talkin' of going away with you--that I'd be ruining your future and making people look down on you, and all that. Well, that's for you to say. If you think it harms your prospects being with me you needn't see me. I've my own prospects to think of. I'm not going to have any man ashamed of me." "You're right to speak of it, and we're right to think of it," said Falk. "It isn't my prospects that I've got to think about, but it's my father I wouldn't like to hurt. If we go away together there'll be a great deal of talk here, and it will all fall on my father." "Well, then," she said, tossing her head and taking her hand away from his, "don't come. _I'm_ not asking you. As for your father, he's that proud----" She stopped suddenly. "No. I'm saying nothing about that. You care for him, and you're right to. As far as that goes, we needn't go together; you can come up later and join me."