"Let us walk farther on," said Storms, passing his arm around the girl's waist.
Thus persuasive in his speech and unusually affectionate in manner, Storms led the girl down the orchard path. Once under the old apple tree where their last stormy interview had taken place, he paused and leaned against the trunk, while she stood before him, waiting for the information he had brought with some impatience; for, with all his strange gentleness, few words had been spoken on the way.
"Well," she said, "have you brought no news—good or bad? Have you seen Sir Noel?"
"No."
"No! Why not? Afraid to go on, were you?"
"Afraid? You, Judith, ought to know me better than that. I found an easier way of getting what I want. Women, after all, are safest to deal with. Instead of a farm I shall have land in my own right."
"You will! You are sure; and I gave it to you!"
Storms made no reply to this exultant outburst, but went on counting over the benefits he had secured with tantalizing particularity.
"In one week from now, I shall be a rich landholder, with plenty of money in my pocket, and a house that any gentleman in England might be proud to take his lady into."
Judith's eyes flashed triumphantly.