Next morning they faced one another in a first class carriage on a homeward bound train.
"What shall I say to Lady Cromarty?" she asked, half smiling, half fearfully.
He reflected for a few minutes.
"Tell her the truth. Lies don't pay in the long run. I can bear witness to this part of the story, and to the Carrington part if necessary, though I don't want to give him away if I can help it."
"Oh no!" she said, "we mustn't interfere with him. But supposing Lady Cromarty doesn't believe——"
"Come straight to Stanesland! Will you?"
"Run away again?"
"It's the direction you run in that matters," said he. "Now, mind you, that's understood!"
She was silent for a little and then she said: