Yet at that very moment his whole frame seemed to glow and his heart clamour with the courage in it, for he was thinking of Plank's words and he knew Plank had spoken the truth. She could not give herself to Quarrier, if he stood firm. His was the stronger will after all; his was the right to interfere, to stop her, to check her, to take her, draw her back--as he had once drawn her from the fascination of destruction when she had swayed out too far over the cliffs at Shotover.
"Do you remember that?" he asked, and spoke of the incident.
"Yes, I remember," she replied, smiling.
"Doctors say" he continued, "that there is a weak streak in people who are affected by great heights, or who find a dizzy fascination drawing them toward the brink of precipices."
"Do you mean me?" she asked, amused.
But he continued serenely: "You have seen those pigeons called 'tumbler pigeons' suddenly turn a cart-wheel in mid-air? Scientists say it's not for pleasure they do it; it's because they get dizzy. In other words, they are not perfectly normal."
She said, laughing: "Well, you never saw me turn a cart-wheel!"
"Only a moral one," he replied airily.
"Stephen, what on earth do you mean? You're not going to be disagreeable, are you?"
"I am going to be so agreeable," he said, laughing, "that you will find it very difficult to tear yourself away."
"I have no doubt of it, but I must, and very soon."
"I'm not going to let you."
"It can't be helped," she said, looking up at him. "I came in with Leila. We're asked to Lenox for the week's end. We go to Stockbridge on the early train to-morrow morning.
"I don't care," he said doggedly; "I'm not going to let you go yet."
"If I took to my heels here in the park would you chase me, Stephen?" she asked with mock anxiety.
"Yes; and if I couldn't run fast enough I'd call that policeman. Now do you begin to understand?"
"Oh, I've always understood that you were spoiled. I'm partly guilty of the spoiling process, too. Listen: I'll walk with you a little way"--she looked at him--"a little way," she continued gently; "then I must go. There is only a caretaker in our house and Leila will be furious if I leave her all alone. Besides, we're going to dine there and it won't be very gay if I don't give a few orders first."
"But you brought your maid?"
"Naturally."
"Then telephone her that you and Leila are dining out."
"Where, silly? Do you want us to dine somewhere with you?"