"but what I mean is, why are you here in an asylum?"

The young woman broke again into one of the maddening and
mysterious laughs of femininity. Then she composed her features,
and replied with equal dignity: "Well, if it comes to that, why
are you?"

The fact that Turnbull had strolled away and was investigating
rhododendrons may have been due to Evan's successful prayers to
the other world, or possibly to his own pretty successful
experience of this one. But though they two were as isolated as a
new Adam and Eve in a pretty ornamental Eden, the lady did not
relax by an inch the rigour of her badinage.

"I am locked up in the madhouse," said Evan, with a sort of stiff
pride, "because I tried to keep my promise to you."

"Quite so," answered the inexplicable lady, nodding with a
perfectly blazing smile, "and I am locked up because it was to me
you promised."

"It is outrageous!" cried Evan; "it is impossible!"

"Oh, you can see my certificate if you like," she replied with
some hauteur.

MacIan stared at her and then at his boots, and then at the sky
and then at her again. He was quite sure now that he himself was
not mad, and the fact rather added to his perplexity.