"Luckily for us," Juliet answered. "Sit here a little longer, dear. It's such a perfect night, and I know we shall see little enough of you when you get at work." Rachel dropped into the hammock. "I should like to lie here all night," she said, "and watch the stars until I go to sleep. I've done that so many, many nights from under a tent flap." All at once she looked up, her eyes widening. Upon the porch step stood a strong figure--as unlike Lockwood's gracefully slender one as possible. A man's eyes were gazing steadily down into hers--determined gray eyes, with a light in them. The two faces were plainly visible to each other in the radiance from the open door. XXVIII.--A HIGH-HANDED AFFAIR If she had not been standing in the doorway Juliet would have run away, but she had to welcome Dr. Roger Barnes, a traveler whom she had not seen for almost a year. Her presence, however, after one glad greeting, seemed not to bother him much. He turned from her to Rachel, who had risen, and took her outstretched hand in both his. "It's been rather a long evening," he said, "wandering around and around this place, waiting for the other man to go. I explored the orchard and the willow path, and every familiar haunt. I had to refresh myself occasionally by stealing up for a glimpse of your face between the vines. But, somehow, that only made it harder to wait. I had to march myself off again with my fists gripped tight in my pockets to keep them off that fellow, eating you up with his eyes--confound him--you, who belong only to me." He did not smile as he said the last words, but stood looking eagerly at her with a gaze that never faltered. She tried to draw her hands away; it was useless. Juliet slipped off, knowing that neither of them would see her go. "Come down on the lawn with me," he said, but she resisted. "Please stay here, Doctor Barnes," she said, "and please let me have my hand. I can't talk so." "You needn't talk--for a while," he answered. He sat down facing her. "At six o'clock I found out you were here. At eight--as soon as I could get away--I came out. I told you how I spent the evening. If I had needed anything to sharpen my longing for you that would have done it--but I think I had reached about the limit of what I could bear in that line already. It has been one constant augmenting thirst for a draught that was out of my reach. I shouldn't have kept my promise not to write you another day after I had been here this time and heard--what I have heard, Rachel." She did not answer. Her face was turned away; she was very still. Only a slightly quickened breathing, of which he was barely conscious, betrayed to him that this was not listening of an ordinary sort.