"It has all evaporated," she said. "The courage!" he laughed. "Oh! I think not. It has merely gone under for the time." And then he turned the conversation, and closed the matter, as she felt, finally. She had no means of knowing whether his resentment of her plain speaking still rankled. A sort of constraint had fallen between them. She felt self-conscious, and rather like a child who has been rebuked. But she did not regret having spoken as she had done. The barriers of pretence were down; there existed a clear understanding between them. As she walked rather silently with him in the moonlight she resolved that on the morrow she would invite him to accompany her again. Book 1--CHAPTER ELEVEN. That walk by the ineffectual light of a young moon brought about a significant change in the relations between the man and girl. The last reserves were swept away. The sweeping had been drastic; it left not so much as a shadow of doubt in the mind of each in regard to the other. They were profoundly interested in one another, with an interest which struck deeper than the repugnances which both were conscious existed. The girl liked the man and was horrified at his weakness; the man liked the girl and resented her interference: their mutual regard was stronger than their antagonism. The people at the hotel watched the development of the friendship distrustfully. They did not approve of the man. All they knew of him was to his discredit. The general opinion was that it was well the girl was leaving so soon. "You appear to be great friends with Mr Hallam," the old lady who was nervous of the mountain road observed one day to Esme. "What a terrible thing it is to see a young man deliberately making wreck of his life. Don't you think so?" "I do," Esme answered gravely. "One day he will come to think so too; and then he will change." The old lady shook her head. "I should doubt it very strongly," she said. She considered it regrettable that the girl should cherish hopes of so improbable a reform. "There is nothing that the human will cannot accomplish, when the will to accomplish a thing is strong enough," Esme said with quiet conviction. "You think that?" "I am sure of it." "Then, why does not Mr Hallam make some effort to overcome his failing?" "I suppose because he has not felt a sufficiently strong incentive. It is difficult to understand these things. But I cannot help believing he will make good." The old lady was manifestly unconvinced; but Esme's faith remained unshaken. She believed in the eventual triumph of Hallam's better nature. The man was not insensible of her faith in him. Her influence over him was stronger than either of them realised. Each day he felt his interest in her deepening; but it was not until her visit came to the finish that he knew exactly what her friendship meant to him.