These things, during his first minutes, came and went; but they were after all practically disposed of as soon as he had mentioned his errand.

He had come to say good-bye--yet that was only a part; so that from the moment Chad accepted his farewell the question of a more ideal affirmation gave way to something else.

He proceeded with the rest of his business.
"You'll be a brute, you know--you'll be guilty of the last infamy--if you ever forsake her." That, uttered there at the solemn hour, uttered in the place that was full of her influence, was the rest of his business; and when once he had heard himself say it he felt that his message had never before been spoken.

It placed his present call immediately on solid ground, and the effect of it was to enable him quite to play with what we have called the key.

Chad showed no shade of embarrassment, but had none the less been troubled for him after their meeting in the country; had had fears and doubts on the subject of his comfort.