Sit down, old girl, and let's have a smoke together! I'm allowed
just one to-day--as a reward for good behaviour."
"Are you being good?" said Sylvia.
Guy closed one eye. "Oh, I'm a positive saint to-day. I've
promised--almost--never to be naughty again. Do you know Burke
slept on the floor in here last night? Decent of him, wasn't it?"
Sylvia glanced swiftly round. "Did he? How uncomfortable for him!
He mustn't do that again,"
"He didn't notice," Guy assured her. "He was much too pleased with
himself. I rather like him for that, you know. He has a wonderful
faculty for--what shall we call it?--mental detachment? Or, is it
physical? Anyway, he knows how to enjoy his emotions, whatever
they are, and he doesn't let any little personal discomfort stand
in his way."
He ended with a careless laugh from which all bitterness was
absent, and after a little pause Sylvia sat down by his side. His
whole attitude amazed her this morning. Some magic had been at
work. The fretful misery of the past few weeks had passed like a
cloud. This was her own Guy come back to her, clean, sane, with
the boyish humour that she had always loved in him, and the old
quick light of understanding and sympathy in his eyes.
He watched her with a smile. "Aren't you going to light up, too?
Come, you'd better. It'll tone you up,"
She looked back at him.
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