And, while she lay there, lips scarce parted, sleeping quietly as a tired child, he sat his mud-splashed saddle, motionless under the moon, eyes never leaving her window for an instant, till at last the far dawn broke and the ghostly shadows fled away. Then, in the pallid light, he slowly gathered bridle and rode back into the Southern forest, head heavy on his breast. CHAPTER XXVII MALCOURT LISTENS Malcourt was up and ready before seven when his sister came to his door, dressed in her pretty blue travelling gown, hatted, veiled, gloved to perfection; but there was a bloom on cheek and mouth which mocked at the wearied eyes--a lassitude in every step as she slowly entered and seated herself. For a moment neither spoke; her brother was looking at her narrowly; and after a while she raised her veil, turning her face to the merciless morning light. "Paint," she said; "and I'm little older than you." "You will be younger than I am, soon." She paled a trifle under the red. "Are you losing your reason, Louis?" "No, but I've contrived to lose everything else. It was a losing game from the beginning--for both of us." "Are you going to be coward enough to drop your cards and quit the game?" "Call it that. But the cards are marked and the game crooked--as crooked as Herby's." He began to laugh. "The world's dice are loaded; I've got enough." "Yet you beat Bertie in spite of--" "For Portlaw's sake. I wouldn't fight with marked cards for my own sake. Faugh! the world plays a game too rotten to suit me. I'll drop my hand and--take a stroll for a little fresh air--out yonder--" He waved his arm toward the rising sun. "Just a step into the fresh air, Helen." "Are you not afraid?" She managed to form the words with stiffened lips. "Afraid?" He stared at her. "No; neither are you. You'll do it, too, some day. If you don't want to now, you will later; if you have any doubts left they won't last. We have no choice; it's in us. We don't belong here, Helen; we're different. We didn't know until we'd tried to live like other people, and everything went wrong." A glint of humour came into his eyes. "I've made up my mind that we're extra-terrestrial--something external and foreign to this particular star. I think it's time to ask for a transfer and take the star ahead." Not a muscle moved in her expressionless face; he shrugged and drew out his watch. "I'm sorry, Helen--" "Is it time to go?" "Yes.... Why do you stick to that little cockney pup?" "I don't know." "You ruined a decent man to pick him out of the gutter. Why don't you drop him back?" "I don't know." "Do you--ah--care for him?" "No." "Then why--" She shook her head. "Quite right," said Malcourt, rising; "you're in the wrong planet, too. And the sooner you realise it the sooner we'll meet again. Good-bye."