"
"I should have gone, certainly," he said; "to New Zealand probably,
but if you wish it I will stop for the present."
"Thank you; and now good-bye, my dear, good-bye! No, don't come with
me, I can find my own way home. And--why do you wait? Good-bye, good-
bye for ever in this way. Yes, kiss me once and swear that you will
never forget me. Marry if you wish to; but don't forget me, Harold.
Forgive me for speaking so plainly, but I speak as one about to die to
you, and I wish things to be clear."
"I shall never marry and I shall never forget you," he answered.
"Good-bye, my love, good-bye!"
In another minute she had vanished into the storm and rain, out of his
sight and out of his life, but not out of his heart.
He, too, turned and went his way into the wild and lonely night.
An hour afterwards Ida came down into the drawing-room dressed for
dinner, looking rather pale but otherwise quite herself. Presently the
Squire arrived. He had been at a magistrate's meeting, and had only
just got home.
"Why, Ida," he said, "I could not find you anywhere. I met George as I
was driving from Boisingham, and he told me that he saw you walking
through the park."
"Did he?" she answered indifferently. "Yes, I have been out. It was so
stuffy indoors.
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