I looked at him curiously as I took the glove, for he seemed so strange, but the next moment his dreamy manner was cast aside, as he clapped me on the shoulder. "Come, Grace," he said; "no, I will not call you Grace," he added, laughing; "it sounds as if you were a girl, and you are rather too girlish, my boy; I will call you Antony in future." "Yes, do, please, Mr Hallett," I said; though I flushed a little at being called girlish. "Come along, then. Our pleasant day has nearly come to an end." "Yes," I said with a sign; "pleasant days do so soon come to an end." "To be sure they do," he cried; "but never mind, my boy; others will come." "Yes," I sighed; "and miserable ones, too, full of Grimstone, and Jem Smith, and pie, and mistakes." "Of course," he cried; "bitters, all of them, to make life the sweeter. Why, Antony--no, Tony's better--why, Tony, if you could be always revelling in good things, such a day as this would not have seemed so delightful as it has." "And it has been delightful!" I cried, as we walked on, my friend resting his hand almost affectionately upon my shoulder. "Yes," he said softly; "a day to be marked with a white stone--a tombstone over the grave of one's brightest hopes," he added, very, very softly; but I caught the import of his words, and I turned to him quite a troubled look, when there was a sound of cheering some distance away. "Come, Tony," he said cheerfully, "there are our men hurrahing. We must join them now." "Do you know what time we were to start back, sir?" I said. "Eight o'clock," he replied, taking out an old-fashioned gold watch, and then starting. "Why, Tony, my lad, it's past nine. Come along, let's run." We started off, and ran at a steady trot till we reached the inn, to find that the cheering had been when the vans set out. "Yes, they was a-cheerin' away like fun," said our informant, a rather beery-looking public-house hanger-on. "What, are you two left behind?" "Yes," said Mr Hallett, shortly. "How long have they been gone?" "More'n quarter of 'n 'our," said the man; "and I say, they just was on--all of 'em. The driver o' the last one couldn't hardly hold his reins." "What time did Messrs. Ruddle and Lister go?" "Who?" said the man. "The gentlemen with the waggonette." "What, with them two gals? Oh! more'n 'n 'our ago. They wasn't on." "How can we get back to town?" "Walk," said the man; "'less you like to take a fly." "It is very tiresome, Tony," said Mr Hallett. "Are you a good walker?" "Pretty well," I said. "How far is it?" "Twelve or thirteen miles. Shall we try it?" "Oh yes," I said. "It's a beautiful night, and we shall see plenty of moths." "Come along, then, my boy," he cried; and away we went.