Don't let her be a bother to you." Brooks found her reluctant to take him away, but he pleaded a headache, and assured her that his work for the night was over.

Outside he led her away from the centre of the town to a quiet walk heading to the suburb where she lived.

Here the streets seemed strangely silent, and Brooks walked hat in hand, heedless of the rain which was still sprinkling.

"Oh, this is good," he murmured.

"How one wearies of these crowds." "All the same," she answered, smiling, "I think that your place just now is amongst them, and I shall not let you take me further than the top of the hill." Brooks looked down at her and laughed.
"What a very determined person you are," he said.