instinct she knew that he loved Guida, but she also knew that nothing
which might have happened between them could have brought this look of
shame and shrinking into his face. As these thoughts flashed through her
mind her heart grew warmer. Suppose Ranulph was in some trouble--well,
now might be her great chance. She might show him that he could not live
without her friendship, and then perhaps, by-and-bye, that he could not
live without her love.

Ranulph was about to move on. She stopped him. "When you need me,
Maitre Ranulph, you know where to find me," she said scarce above a
whisper. He looked at her sharply, almost fiercely, but again the
tenderness of her eyes, the directness of her gaze, convinced him. She
might be, as she was, variable with other people; with himself she was
invincibly straightforward.

"P'raps you don't trust me?" she added, for she read his changing
expression.

"I'd trust you quick enough," he said.

"Then do it now--you're having some bad trouble," she rejoined.

He leaned over her stall and said to her steadily and with a little
moroseness:

"See you, ma garche, if I was in trouble I'd bear it by myself. I'd ask
no one to help me. I'm a man, and I can stand alone. Don't go telling
folks I look as if I was in trouble. I'm going to launch to-morrow the
biggest ship ever sent from a Jersey building yard--that doesn't look
like trouble, does it? Turn about is fair play, garcon Cart'rette: so