"I don't quite see where the luck comes in," she answered. "I have
no time to waste talking to you now. I am in a hurry."
"You will allow me," he said hopefully, "to walk a little way with
you?"
"I am not able to prevent it - if you think it worth while," she
answered.
He looked down - he was by her side now - in good-humoured protest.
"Come, Ernestine," he said, "you mustn't bear malice against me.
Perhaps I was a little hasty when I spoke so strongly about your
work. I don't like your doing it and never shall like it, but I've
said all I want to. You won't let it divide us altogether, will
you?"
"For the present," she answered, "it occupies the whole of my time,
and the whole of my thoughts."
"To the utter exclusion, I suppose," he remarked, "of me?"
She laughed gaily.
"My dear Cecil! when have I ever led you to suppose for a moment
that I have ever wasted any time thinking of you?"
He was determined not to be annoyed, and he ignored both the speech
and the laugh.
"May I inquire how you are getting on?"
"I am getting on," she answered, "very well indeed. The Editor is
beginning to say very nice things to me, and already the men treat
me just as though I were a comrade! It is so nice of them!"
"Is it?" he muttered doubtfully.
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