The man, receiving her embrace with what seemed in the circumstances a singularly moderated enthusiasm, led her with one arm still lightly about her shoulders down the lane: at the corner he stood still, and said in a low voice-- "Hush--stop crying at once! I've something to say to you." She tore herself from his arm, and gasped. "It's _not_ Harry," she said. "Oh, how dare you!" She had been brave till she had dropped into his arms. Then the need for bravery had seemed over. Now her tears were dried swiftly and suddenly by the blaze of anger and courage in her eyes. "Don't be unreasonable," he said, and even at that moment of disappointment and rage his voice pleased her. "I had to get you away somehow. I couldn't risk an explanation right under your aunt's windows. Harry's sprained his knee--cricket. He couldn't come." A sharp resentment stirred in her against the lover who could play cricket on the very day of an elopement. "_He_ told you to come? Oh, how could he betray me!" "My dear girl, what was he to do? He couldn't leave you to wait out here alone--perhaps for hours." "I shouldn't have waited long," she said sharply; "you came to tell me: now you've told me--you'd better go." "Look here," he said with gentle calm, "I do wish you'd try not to be quite so silly. I'm Harry's doctor--and a middle-aged man. Let me help you. There must be some better way out of your troubles than a midnight flight and a despairingly defiant note on the pin-cushion." "I didn't," she said. "I put it on the mantelpiece. Please go. I decline to discuss anything with you." "Ah, don't!" he said; "I knew you must be a very romantic person, or you wouldn't be here; and I knew you must be rather sill--well, rather young, or you wouldn't have fallen in love with Harry. But I did not think, after the brave and practical manner in which you kept your appointment, I did _not_ think that you'd try to behave like the heroine of a family novelette. Come, sit down on this heap of stones--there's nobody about. There's a light in your house now. You can't go back yet. Here, let me put my Inverness round you. Keep it up round your chin, and then if anyone sees you they won't know who you are. I can't leave you alone here. You know what a lot of robberies there have been in the neighbourhood lately; there may be rough characters about. Come now, let's think what's to be done. You know you can't get back unless I help you." "I don't want you to help me; and I won't go back," she said. But she sat down and pulled the cloak up round her face. "Now," he said, "as I understand the case--it's this. You live rather a dull life with two tyrannical aunts--and the passion for romance...." "They're not tyrannical--only one's always ill and the other's always nursing her. She makes her get up and read to her in the night. That's her light you saw--" "Well, I pass the aunts. Anyhow, you met Harry--somehow--"