After a pause, he went on hurriedly, 'Walk down the hill; get into
the road. By that time I shall be there with a phaeton. We may get
back in time. What time is it now? If not, no doubt the wedding can
be to-morrow; so all will come right again. Don't cry, my dear girl.
Keep the locket, of course--you'll marry Jim.'



CHAPTER IX



He hastened down towards the stables, and she went on as directed.
It seemed as if he must have put in the horse himself, so quickly did
he reappear with the phaeton on the open road. Margery silently took
her seat, and the Baron seemed cut to the quick with self-reproach as
he noticed the listless indifference with which she acted. There was
no doubt that in her heart she had preferred obeying the apparently
important mandate that morning to becoming Jim's wife; but there was
no less doubt that had the Baron left her alone she would quietly
have gone to the altar.

He drove along furiously, in a cloud of dust. There was much to
contemplate in that peaceful Sunday morning--the windless trees and
fields, the shaking sunlight, the pause in human stir. Yet neither
of them heeded, and thus they drew near to the dairy. His first
expressed intention had been to go indoors with her, but this he
abandoned as impolitic in the highest degree.

'You may be soon enough,' he said, springing down, and helping her to