"You won't get a decent hansom in this God-forsaken part of the world. Better take this now." "Very well, I suppose we must." "And may I sit beside the driver?" said Dicky. "I should like to awfully." "Oh, I don't know, dear. I am afraid of your catching cold." "No fear of that," replied Gerald. "It's quite warm, and he's well wrapped up. Jump in, Hilda." He helped her in, and confided Dicky to the care of the cabby. The boy's proposition suited him in every way. Indeed, it had been an essential part of his plan. As for Hilda, she had a very shrewd idea of what she might expect. It is only fair to her to say that she hesitated--but the eloquent appeal from those blue eyes of Gerald's had been too much for her. She was surprised at herself now, for her heart was beating as she had never known it beat before. "I wish you could get a hansom," she said; "we shall be hours getting home in this." "And would that be so very terrible?" he asked. "It would not have been once, Hilda." "Oh, Gerald, don't talk about that. You know that is all over and done with now." "It is _not_ over, Hilda--it never has been over, we need never have parted but for you. For these two years I have been longing for a chance of seeing you alone. I have got it now, and I'm not going to lose it." "What is it you want? You forget Miriam----" "Oh, hang Miriam! I wish I could forget her. But she's not the sort of person one can forget, worse luck. Hilda, it was cruel of you to drive me to her----" "Cruel of _me_? _I_ drove you to Miriam? Really, Gerald, if that's the kind of thing you're going to say, I am sorry I allowed you to come at all. You know perfectly well things were not in my hands. I had to do as I was told. And you--well, you and Miriam were always what you call 'good friends.'" "You managed to console yourself pretty quickly any way." "Not so quickly as you, I believe," retorted Hilda. "I console myself? A pretty sort of consolation mine has been! You at least have the satisfaction of having plenty of money. If it were only the other way round, I tell you, Hilda, I wouldn't hesitate for one moment; I'd clear out with you to-morrow." "Indeed, that's taking me a little bit for granted, isn't it? You don't seem to count the cost--to me! Remember, the unfortunate woman always pays in these cases, as indeed she does in most others, as far as I can see. No, Gerald, you've got to stick to your bargain and I to mine. I was always fond of you, you know. But Fate evidently didn't intend us for one another." "If only I thought you really cared for me still--Hilda, tell me you do; say you do care for me now as you used to do." "Gerald, I forbid you to behave like this. Are you crazy? What do you expect this sort of thing to lead to?--ruin, absolute ruin, in every way for me--yes, and for you too for that matter." "I don't care--I care for nothing but you. I will have you, I----"