"Oh, I don't know. We can't have too many of such fine women as Miss Fielding, can we? I'm sure I'd like to know a half-dozen of them!"
"You must confess it's hard on her."
"Oh, it gives her something interesting to think about. All alone here, you know." He waved his long arm comprehensively over the scene.
"But aren't you trying to do anything for her? She surely wants to get over it." I was determined to push him into some definite statement. But it was no use.
"Oh, she'll come out all right," he replied, yawning behind his palm.
"She's too fine a woman, as you say; she has too fine a character, too fine a mind—" I began in protest.
"My dear Mr. Castle, women are always changing their minds." His shoulders shook as he laughed silently at his own joke.
"You'll change yours, before I've finished with you," I said to myself. But there was no use continuing the dialogue, and, bidding him good night, I went up to bed. Leah had given her own room up to him and she spent the night in Miss Fielding's study. I heard him come stumbling up at midnight.
IV
It was with a feeling of great relief that, next morning, I heard the dogs barking jubilantly in the yard, answering, each in turn, to their names. Nokomis, I knew by her heavy note, had returned to the house. Joy was, then, herself.