“That will do,” he said. “I thought you would come right. Go and kiss Rose.”
He did so, whispering in her ear, “I am awful sorry, Rose.” Then, in the brief silence that followed, he walked out again, and went back to Anne.
“It wasn’t hard?” she said.
“Yes, it was! I hated it, but I did it.”
“Now, that was honest courage, Jack. You will feel better for it to-morrow. Good night; I must go to bed myself.”
Jack went in with her, and by the way in which he was bidden good night, saw that the bear business was over. Before he fell asleep, he heard Rose ask:
“May I come in?”
“Yes,” he shouted. She came to the bedside and kissed him.
“I wanted to say, Jack, that I thought you were very brave to-night. I would have done it, but I would have waited until dear old Marc. Aurelius was alone. Oh, I am proud of you. You are to have your rifle to-morrow.”
“You asked for it?”