'You have mine,' said Philip, and laid his on her wrist. She took his hand and pressed it thankfully.
'Now,' she continued, 'you can understand what it must be to one on a dizzy peak, or apex of a building, if there be a something—a bar even, to which to hold. Then the abysses below can be gazed into with impunity. Holding to that support, the dangers are no longer dreadful, there is no more fear of falling out of sheer desperation.'
She let go Philip's hand, and stood up.
'It is time to return to our party. Oh, what a relief it has been to me to pour out my heart to you! And now, in return, tell me about Colonel Yeo.'
The sound of that name at once brought Philip to his senses. He rose to his feet and stepped into the road.
'I am sorry to be unable to tell you about him, because I know little about him. As I said before, we belong to different spheres.'
They walked back together, talking of the weather and the mountains and flowers, and found the rest at a table. The restaurant was under repair, and no refreshments could be obtained there.
'Well?' said Mrs. Sidebottom, 'you have kept us waiting a long time.'
'We have been waiting for you,' said Miss Durham. 'We thought you would come on to the head of the pass.'
Philip caught Salome's eye and avoided it. She looked wistfully, wonderingly at him. What did he mean by at one minute treating the American lady with coldness and rudeness, and then reversing his behaviour towards her absolutely and at once?