"What do I care about Loudwater--now?" she said, smiling at him, and she
brushed her fingertips across the back of his hand.

He caught her fingers and held them for a moment, but the frown
did not lift.

"The nuisance is that, whoever it was, he had been there a long time," he
said gravely. "The glade was full of the reek of his vile tobacco.
Suppose he saw me kiss you in the drive here and then followed us?"

"Well, if you will do such wicked things in the open air--" she
said, smiling.

"It isn't a laughing matter, I'm afraid," he said rather heavily,
and frowning.

"Well, I should have to consider your reputation and say that you didn't.
It would be very bad for your career if it became known that you did such
things, and Egbert would never rest till he had done everything he could
do to injure you. I should certainly declare that you didn't, and you'd
have to do the same."

"Oh, leave me out of it! Hogbert can't touch me. It's you I'm thinking
about," he said.

"But there's no need to worry about me. I'm not afraid of Egbert any
longer," she said, and her eyes, full of confidence and courage, met his
steadily. Then, resolved to clear the anxiety away from his mind, she
went on: "It's no use meeting trouble half-way. If some one did see us,
Egbert may not get to hear of it for days, or weeks--perhaps never."