It was the custom, but she felt she ought not for fear he might misunderstand.

And yet she wanted to kiss him as she had never wanted to kiss a man.

When it came, her face upturned to his, she realized that on his part it was an honest kiss.

There hinted nothing behind it.

Rugged and kind as himself, it was virginal almost, and betrayed no long practice in the art of saying good-bye.