At the top of the hill they turned. The enemy was trotting leisurely up
the slope, having given up the race earlier than they knew. Judith's
face was flushed.
"I don't think you are so very old," she said.
Crittenden laughed, and took off his hat very politely when they met the
buggy, but Wharton looked surly. The girl with the black hair looked
sharply at Judith, and then again at Crittenden, and smiled. She must
have cared little for her companion, Judith thought, or something for
Crittenden, and yet she knew that most women smiled at Crittenden, even
when they did not know him very well. Still she asked: "And the other
things--you meant other women?"
"Yes, and no."
"Why no?"
"Because I have deceived nobody--not even myself--and Heaven knows I
tried that hard enough."
"That was one?" she added, smiling.
"I thought you knew me better than to ask such a question."
Again Judith smiled--scanning him closely.
"No, you aren't so very old--nor world-weary, after all."
"No?"
"No. And you have strong hands--and wrists. And your eyes are--" she
seemed almost embarrassed--"are the eyes of a good man, in spite of what
you say about yourself; and I would trust them. And it was very fine in
you to talk as you did when we were tearing up that hill a moment ago."
Crittenden turned with a start of surprise.
"Oh," he said, with unaffected carelessness. "You didn't seem to be very
nervous."
"I trusted you."
Crittenden had stopped to pull the self-opening gate, and he drove
almost at a slow walk through the pasture toward Judith's home. The sun
was reddening through the trees now. The whole earth was moist and
fragrant, and the larks were singing their last songs for that happy
day. Judith was quite serious now.
"Do you know, I was glad to hear you say that you had got over your old
feeling for me. I feel so relieved. I have always felt so responsible
for your happiness, but I don't now, and it is such a relief. Now you
will go ahead and marry some lovely girl and you will be happy and I
shall be happier--seeing it and knowing it."
Crittenden shook his head.
"No," he said, "something seems to have gone out of me, never to come
back."
There was nobody in sight to open the yard gate, and Crittenden drove to
the stiles, where he helped Judith out and climbed back into his buggy.