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Nina raised her dark eyebrows and did not instantly reply. Archie looked away from her. He felt uncomfortably that he had gone too far.

Then slowly she made answer:

“No, he is not. I think he has begun to realize that the battle is not always to the strong.”

Struck by something in her tone, Archie glanced at her again.

“Jove!” he suddenly said. “How you hate him!”

The words were out almost before he knew it. Nina’s face changed instantly. But Archie’s contrition was as swift.

“Oh, I say, forgive me!” he broke in, with a persuasive hand on her arm. “Do, if you can! I know it was unpardonable of me. I’m so awfully sorry. You see, I–“

She interrupted hastily.

“It doesn’t matter–it doesn’t matter. I understand. It was quite an excusable mistake. Please don’t look so distressed! It hasn’t hurt me much. I think it would have hurt me more if it had been literally true.”

The sentences ran out rapidly. She was as agitated as he. They had the little recess to themselves, and their voices scarcely rose above a whisper.

“Then it wasn’t true?” Archie said, with a look of relief.

Nina drew back. She was not prepared to go as far as that. All her life she had sought to be honest in her dealings.

“It hasn’t come actually to that yet,” she said under her breath. “But it may–it may.”

Somehow it relieved the burden that pressed upon her to be able to speak thus openly to her life-long comrade. But Archie looked grieved, almost shocked.

“What will you do if it does?” he asked.

“I shall leave him,” she said, her face growing hard. “I think he understands that.”

There was a heavy silence between them. Then impulsively, with pure generosity, Archie spoke.

“Nina,” he said, “if you should need–help–of any sort, you know–will you count on me?”

Nina hesitated for a moment.

“Please!” said Archie gently.

She bent her head.

“Thank you,” she said. “I will.”

VII

THE DELIVERER

Half-an-hour later they went out again into the blazing sunshine.

“What do you think of my hack?” Archie asked, as they drove away westwards. “I got him at Tattersall’s the other day. I haven’t driven him before to-day. He’s a bit jumpy. But I like an animal that can jump, don’t you know.”

“I know you do,” laughed Nina. “I believe that is purely why you haven’t started a motor yet. They can do everything that is vicious and extraordinary except jump. But do you really like a horse to shy at everything he passes? Look at him now! He doesn’t like that hand-cart with red paint.”

“He’s an artist,” grinned Archie. “It offends his eye; and no wonder. Don’t be alarmed, though! He won’t do anything outrageous. My man knows how to manage him.”

Nina leant back. She was not, as a rule, nervous, but, as Archie’s new purchase was forced protesting past the object of his fright, she was conscious of a very decided feeling of uneasiness. The animal looked to her vicious as well as alarmed.

They got safely past the hand-cart, and a brief interval of tranquillity followed as they trotted briskly down Ludgate Hill.

“He won’t have time to look at anything now,” said Archie cheerfully.

The words had scarcely left his lips when the tire of a stationary car they were passing exploded with a report like a rifle shot. In a second Archie’s animal leapt into the air, struck the ground with all four hoofs together–and bolted.

“My man’s got him,” said Archie. “Sit still! Nothing’s going to happen.”

He put his arm in front of Nina and gripped the farther side of the hansom.

But Nina had not the smallest intention of losing her head. During the first few moments her sensations were more of breathless interest than fear. Certainly she was very far from panic.

She saw the roadway before them clear as if by magic before their galloping advance. She heard shouts, warning cries, yells of excitement. She also heard, very close to her, Archie’s voice, swearing so evenly and deliberately that she was possessed by an insane desire to laugh at him. Above everything else, she heard the furious, frantic rhythm of the flying hoofs before them. And yet somehow inexplicably she did not at first feel afraid.