My father looked up. 'I thought he'd come. What's he been about?'
'He's enlisted,' I said sadly.
I could not tell whether my father was surprised, or glad, or sorry. He said nothing, but I noticed that he gave me one or two quick looks from under his shaggy eyebrows.
'Father,' I said, 'you will see poor Cuthbert before he goes?'
'Humph! I suppose you know he's been beforehand with you with Hildred. Did he tell you that?'
'Yes, he told me. He meant no harm by me. He doesn't know.'
'I wish the lad had never come nigh the place.'
Just as he said this, the door was opened quickly, and Cuthbert came in. He went straight up to my father, the colour coming all over his face, and held out his hand.
'I'm going away to-morrow,' he said, speaking quickly, 'and as like as not I shall never come back again. I am come just to shake hands and thank you before I go, for all you've done for me; I know how much it's been.'
My father was taken by surprise. He put out his hand slowly to meet Cuthbert's.