'No, he won't,' she cried piteously. 'Don't you see, he made me believe it! That is why--why I'm so ashamed. What will he think when he knows I believed him guilty of the most horrible things?' 'I know what he'll think when he knows that in order to save him you were ready to----' 'Besides, don't you see?' she interrupted, 'I refused him when he was nameless, and--and all that sort of thing, while now as Lord Carbis's son----' But she did not finish the sentence. At that moment Jack Carbis leapt over a stile into the lane where we were walking. With that quick intuition which I had so often noticed, he seemed to divine in a moment what we were talking about. He looked at us both for a few seconds without speaking, while both of us were so startled by his sudden appearance, that I think we were both incapable of uttering a word. 'How did you get here?' I gasped presently. 'I motored over,' he said. 'After you had left this morning--I--I--thought I would. It was only a hundred and fifty miles. They told me at the house which way you had gone, and----' 'You followed us,' I interjected. 'Jack, I think you have something to say to Lorna, and I fancy Sir Thomas and Lady Bolivick may be lonely. I shall see you presently, shan't I?' Lorna looked at me with frightened eyes, as if in protest, then she turned towards my friend. 'Will you come with me?' said Jack, and his voice was tremulous, 'I say, you will come, won't you?' She hesitated a second, and then the two walked away together in the quiet Devonshire lane, while the shadows of evening gathered. * * * * * I did not go into the house on my return. Instead I sat on the lawn and awaited them. Darker and darker the night shadows fell, while the sky became star-spangled. Away, two hundred miles distant, the guns were booming, but here was peace. The mystery, the wonder of it all came to me as I sat thinking. On the long battle line the armies of Empires were engaged in a deadly struggle, while close by a man was telling a girl that he loved her, while she would be foolishly trying to explain what required no explanation. The moon was rising as they came back. The first beams were shining through the trees as I saw them approach. 'Well, Lorna?' I said as they came close to where I was. She looked at me shyly, and then lifted her eyes to Jack's. In the pale moonlight I saw the look of infinite happiness on her face. 'May I, Jack?' I said. 'This morning you called me your brother, and as Lorna is to be my sister, may I claim a brother's privilege?' For answer, she threw her arms around my neck and kissed me. 'I say,' cried Jack with a happy laugh, 'you are coming it a bit thick, aren't you? I didn't get one as easily as that.' 'Of course not--you didn't deserve to. But where are you off to? 'I'm going to beard the lion in his den. I'm going to have a serious talk with Sir Thomas. Will you look after Lorna till I return?'