He replaced his cigar, and there was a brief pause. "Catching a
train?" he threw out.

It seemed absurd not to answer. "Yes," I said shortly.

He said it was a pleasant evening for a walk.

I hovered for a moment and there was my path before me, and he
stood aside. There seemed nothing to do but go on. "Good night,"
said he, as that intention took effect.

I growled a surly good-night.

I felt like a bombshell of swearing that must presently burst with
some violence as I went on my silent way. He had so completely got
the best of our encounter.



Section 7

There comes a memory, an odd intermixture of two entirely divergent
things, that stands out with the intensest vividness.

As I went across the last open meadow, following the short cut to
Checkshill station, I perceived I had two shadows.

The thing jumped into my mind and stopped its tumid flow for a
moment. I remember the intelligent detachment of my sudden interest.