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undisturbed. But the next night there was a difference, though Alison did not know of it. The creak of the opening door awakened Tony, but he lay motionless, half dreaming still. The light from the passage fell across his face: Alison studied it carefully, but no, not an eyelash flickered—all was safe. She bent, and the boy felt her warm lips on his forehead; then the door closed again behind her, and for an hour he lay wide-eyed in the darkness.

No night after that brought him sleep till her light step had paused beside him and passed on again, but not till months afterwards did Alison learn that it was a wide-awake Tony who lay and listened for her last good night.