'I'm going away to-morrow,' he said, speaking quickly, 'and as like as not I shall never come back again. I am come just to shake hands and thank you before I go, for all you've done for me; I know how much it's been.' My father was taken by surprise. He put out his hand slowly to meet Cuthbert's. 'About that money,' he began, 'I made a mistake.' 'Thank you,' Cuthbert answered, colouring again. 'I'd sooner you wouldn't say anything of that.' Still grasping my father's hand, he went on-- 'I know I've often vexed you, but you won't be troubled with me any longer, and we part good friends--don't we?' he ended with his frank, sweet smile. 'I'm sure I wish you good luck, lad.' Cuthbert turned round to me. It was the one gleam of comfort on that dark night, that those two were at peace together before Cuthbert went away. The two troubles coming so quick one upon another seemed to have confused me. I wanted time to understand them. Every thought brought a fresh sting, and they kept thronging into my mind, shifting and changing strangely. Only one thing was clear: I had lost Cuthbert and Hildred both at once. He had gone back to her now, for more last words. I was used to thinking of them as belonging to me. But they belonged to each other now, and I was nothing to them,--not much at least. Cuthbert was going away to-morrow. A while ago that would have seemed hard enough, but harder still, the Hildred I loved, and who I had thought loved me, was gone already. Why do I talk about myself? They two who loved each other were the ones to be pitied. To-morrow, when Cuthbert was away, there would be time enough to think. My father sat by the fire, with his hands and chin resting on his stick, but his eyes followed me whenever I moved. I was not used to being watched like that, and presently I went to the door. 'I say, boy,' he called after me. I looked round. 'Don't you go and vex yourself. He's going away, and girls soon forget, you know.' 'Girls will be girls, Willie,' said Granny, meaning to be comforting. I went outside and leaned against the wall. The moon was covered with clouds, and in the hushed darkness you could hear if a leaf stirred or a grasshopper chirped in the long grass. 'Girls soon forget.' Ay, but I had just promised not to let Hildred forget. Besides, she wasn't likely to forget Cuthbert. And did I even wish her to forget him? I did not know. What was the use of thinking? How long Cuthbert stayed! Granny's flitting light went out upstairs. She, and my father too, were most likely quietly asleep, before I heard his step coming quickly through the darkness. 'You waited for me,' he said, coming up. 'Clifford kept me talking. Come in, will you? I must get my things together. I told you how it would be. Clifford wanted her to take her promise back, because I was going away.' 'She did not?' He shook his head. 'But I have only you to count on that will help her,' he said sighing.