e firm curves of her bosom swelled the gathers of her gown.

"You look real spry this morning," she said coquettishly; but he turned
from her in sudden distaste. Her tawdry refinement irritated the more
serious manner of his mood.

Presently she went back to her dusting, and he completed his daily
setting to rights of the shop before he drew up to the desk and made out
the bills that were due for the month. It was not until some hours later
that he looked up upon hearing a step on the threshold. At first he
stood up mechanically at the sight of a girl in a riding-habit. Then he
started and drew back, for the girl lifted her head, and he saw that it
was Eugenia Battle. In the same glance he saw also that there was a keen
surprise in her face.

"Why, Nick Burr!" she said breathlessly. She tripped over her long
riding-skirt and caught it hastily in one hand; in the other she carried
a small switch. She had grown tall and straight, and her hair was
gathered up from her shoulders.

For a moment they were both silent. In Eugenia's face the surprise gave
place to gladness, and the warmth of her personality gathered to her
eyes. She held out her ungloved hand.

"Why, Nick Burr!" she said again.

But Nicholas looked at her in silence. All the dogged bitterness of the
last six months welled to his lips--all his new-found philosophy
evaporated at the sting of wounded pride. He remembered with a start the
gray road on the afternoon in November, the sullen cast of the sky, the
hopeless trend of the wind among the trees, the leaping of the light
into Eugenia's face. She laughed now as she had laughed then--a hearty
little burst of surprise in the suddenness of the meeting.

He turned quickly from the outstretched hand.

"What can I do for you?" he asked, and his tone was like Jerry
Pollard's.

Eugenia's hand fell to her side, closing upon the folds of her skirt.
She caught her lip between her teeth with a petulant twitch. Then she
came forward and laid a small brown bit of cloth upon the counter.

"A spool of silk this shade," she said briskly. "Please match it very
carefully."

Nicholas pulled open the small drawers containing the silk, and compared
the sample with the row of spools. He made his selection, showing it to
Eugenia before wrapping it in brown paper.

"Is that all?" he asked grimly.

Eugenia nodded. He gave her the spool, and she lifted her skirt and went
out of the shop. A moment more, and she passed the