"Good-night, dear love," he replied. "Do you remember the night I came here first, after my return, and saw you on the balcony up there, and you ran down to me?" "Y--yes," she replied, "I remember. Good-night!" She kissed him swiftly and slipped out of his arms and ran up the steps, paused on the balcony for a moment to blow a kiss to him, and was gone. He lingered about the garden quite a long time, until the lights had disappeared one by one and the house stood up black against the sky. Then, carrying his hat in his hand, as though the very place in which she had walked were hallowed, he went out of the garden and back to the captain. He found that gentleman conning a newspaper in his little parlour with the aid of a reading glass. The captain scorned spectacles, although they were really necessary in his case; he considered them effeminate. A reading glass was a graceful compromise. He looked up as Comethup entered, and laid down the glass and carefully folded the paper. "Well, boy," he said, "I suppose you found her?" "Yes," said Comethup, "I found her." Something in his tone, in the large-hearted joyousness of it, struck the captain; he got up and stood with one hand resting on the table, looking across the shaded lamp at Comethup, who towered hugely at the other side of the room. For a moment or two nothing was said; then the captain made the half-circuit of the table, and they looked into each other's eyes and their hands met. "You don't mean----" began the captain. Comethup nodded and beamed upon him. "Yes," he replied, "she's going to be my wife. I've loved her--oh, a long time--ever since I was a little chap. Isn't it splendid?" The captain gave Comethup's hand a final grip and let it go. "She's the best woman in the world," he said with great emphasis, and went back to his chair. In the few days that followed before Comethup returned to London the captain endeavoured to frame various excuses for keeping out of the young people's way. To-day he would be too tired; on another occasion there would be letters to write, or something which needed immediate attention in the garden. But Comethup and the girl laughingly insisted on his accompanying them, declaring that they could not possibly expect to be thoroughly happy if they left him at home. So, with some misgivings, he continued to be their companion as of old.