The hour was late, and he did not enter the house, but kissed her good-night at the gate.
"Good-night and pleasant dreams, sweetheart!" he said as he turned to go.
His heart was light, for he and Winnie had enjoyed a long and loving talk on the way home, and throughout the evening there had been no untoward incident to mar his pleasure.

He had noticed Donald Pike's absence, and had been glad of it, but he merely supposed Pike kept away because of the row of the previous evening.

If there are such things as premonitions of coming trouble, certainly they did not distress Badger that night.

Winnie was also in a happy frame of mind as she tripped lightly up the steps and entered the house.
Inza and Elsie had returned some time before.

As she had expected, they had retired to their rooms.