"And," she pursued, a little timorously, "how am I to get through my examination if you won't help me? You've helped me so much, Mr. Arbuthnot, you really have."

"Good-bye," I said, holding out my hand.

"It's cruel of you, very cruel," she went on, without noticing it; "and—and you don't seem to mind in the least."

"What's done is done. Good-bye," I said again.

"And I suppose you'll go somewhere—quite away from this?" she continued, "quite far away?"

"Probably," I said.

"But don't you mind—at all?" she asked.

"It's not particularly pleasant," I admitted.

"We've been good friends, haven't we?" she said, with a little quiver of her lips.

"The best of friends," I agreed.