34
THE VANITY BOX
ground. She could not look up and risk seeing again the agony she had seen in the man's eyes, for she felt that it was there, still; such agony as a man's eyes might betray, if he were enduring in grim silence the torture of the rack. She could not look until the instant of parting came, and then she said good-bye hurriedly, almost running away from him, lest he should suggest going farther.
Not once did she glance back, but if she had, she would not have found him gazing after her. He stood still as if stricken, for a few seconds, and then he turned hastily. Not, however, to go into the house. He struck off toward the short cut which would land him again into Riding Wood.
