Ted and he had little conversation going back in the car. The most important part of it occurred when they had left New York behind and were rushing along cool moon-strewn roads to Southampton. Then—

“Thanks,” said Ted suddenly and fervently and did not seem to be able to say anything more.

The events of the evening had come too close, at moments, to grotesque tragedy for Oliver to pretend to misunderstand him.

“Oh, that's all right. And anyhow I owed you one for that time with the gendarmes in Brest.”

“Maybe,” but Ted didn't seem to be convinced. “That was jocose though. Even at the worst.” The words came with effort. “This was—serious. I owe you about everything, I guess.”

“Oh, go take a flying leap at a galloping goose!”

“Go do it yourself. Oh, Oliver, you ass, I will be pretty and polite about your saving my life.” And both laughed and felt easier. “Saved a good deal more than that as a matter of fact—or what counts for more with me,” Ted added soberly. “Then the letter I brought was satisfactory?”

“Satisfactory? Gee!” said Ted intensely, and again they fell silent.

Some miles later Oliver added casually

“You won't have any trouble with our late hostess, by the way. Though she knows all about it.”

“She knows?”

Oliver couldn't resist.

“And quite approves. But she's—a sport.” Then for Ted's sake, “Besides, you see, it would crab her game completely.”

“I'll tell Elinor, though,” said Ted, stubbornly.

“About her father? You can't.”

“Oh, Lord, no. About myself. Don't have to give names and addresses.”

“Afterwards.”

“Well, yes—afterwards. Though it makes me feel like a swine.”

“Nobody our age who hasn't been one or felt like one—some of the time—except Christers and the dead,” said Oliver, and they proceeded for several minutes on the profundity of that aphorism. The silence was broken by Ted's saying violently,

“I will marry her! I don't give a damn what's happened.”

“Good egg. Of course you will.” Oliver chuckled.

Ted turned to him anxiously after another silence.

“Look Ollie, that bump on my head—you've seen the size it is. Well, is it going to just show up like thunder at this silly dance?”