"Well, good-bye--I am sure that you will look back on the Robin episode with gratitude. It has done a great deal for all of us. Good luck to you!--Always your friend, HENRY TROJAN." He turned on the lights in his room and tried to read, but he found that that was impossible. His eyes wandered off the page and he listened: he caught himself again and again straining his ears for a sound. He pictured the coming of steps up the stairs and then sharp and loud along the passage--then a pause and a knock on his door. Often he fancied that he heard it, but it was only fancy and he turned away disappointed; but he was sure that Robin would come. They had decided not to dine downstairs together on that evening--they were, all of them, overwrought and the situation was strained; they were wondering what he was going to do. There were, of course, a thousand things to be done, but he was glad that they had left him alone for that night at any rate. He wanted to be quiet. He had written a letter of enormous length to Mary, explaining to her what had happened and telling her that he would come to her in the morning. It was very hard, even then, not to rush down to her, but he felt that he must keep that day at least sacred to his father. Would Robin come? It was quarter to seven and that terrible sleep was beginning to overcome him again. The fire, the walls, the pictures, danced before his eyes ... the stories of the fishermen in the Cove came back to him ... the Four Stones and the man who had lost his way ... the red tiles and the black rafters of "The Bended Thumb" ... and then Mary's beauty above it all. Mary on the moors with the wind blowing through her hair; Mary in the house with the firelight on her face, Mary ... and then he suddenly started up, wide awake, for he heard steps on the stair. He knew them at once--he never doubted that they were Robin's. The last two steps were taken slowly and with hesitation. Then he hurried down the passage as though he had suddenly made up his mind; then, again, there was a long pause before the door. At last came the knock, timidly, and then another loudly and almost violently. Harry shouted "Come in," and Robin entered, his face pale and his hands twisting and untwisting. "Ah, Robin--do you want anything? Come in--sit down. I've been asleep." "Oh, I'm sorry, did I wake you up? No, thanks, I won't sit down. I've got some things I want to say. I'd rather say them standing up." There was a long pause. Harry said nothing and stared into the fire. "I've got a good lot to say altogether." Robin cleared his throat. "It's rather hard. Perhaps this doesn't seem quite the time--after grandfather--and--everything--but I couldn't wait very well. I've been a bit uncomfortable." "Out with it," said Harry. "This time will do excellently--there's a pause just now, but to-morrow everything will begin again and there's a terrible lot to do. What is it?"