"Listen. If anything is on the way to us,—and if you think so I expect there is,—most probably it will send me one way over the earth and you another because this way has failed. When I'm out of sight I want you to remember one thing."
"I shall remember it all," she said.
"But especially one thing. I set out to break you."
"You've done that," she said.
"No, please don't rot me,—not to-night, out here. If ever my name flicks across your memory at any time remember my idiotic attempt to give you the spurs."
"Why especially that?"
"Because you beat me,—beat me to a frazzle and that's the only good thing about this episode."
"You're very generous," she said, and held out her hand. She had an insane desire to sit down on those dirty boards and cry. Everything he did and said made her love him more and more. What was the matter with her that she had turned him into a brother? Life had appeared to be so easy to arrange. It had become so difficult.
He took her hand and held it tight. "I'm not generous," he said, scoffing. "Don't let any man try the breaking business. Remain as you are. Be the spoilt girl all the rest of your life, kiddie. You're all right. Now come in and go to bed and sleep hard. That thing you got just now may find us in the morning."
And they turned their backs to the moon and to love and walked away without another word.