ly, but when he reached toward her she held him away.
"No, dear. Not yet, not again, not until we have the right. It would be
better for us both if you went away now."

"No, no! Oh, I have so much to say! I've been dumb all my life, and
you've just opened my lips."

"Please! After I've decided what to do--once I feel that I can control
myself better--I'll send for you. But you must promise not to come
until then, for you would only make it harder."

It required all Dave's determination to force himself to obey her wish,
and the struggle nearly kept him from recalling the original object of
his visit. Remembering, he tried to tell Alaire what he had learned
from Phil Strange; but so broken and so unconvincing was his recital
that he doubted if she understood in the least what he was talking
about.

At last he took her hand and kissed her wrist, just over her pulse, as
if to speed a message to her heart, then into her rosy palm he
whispered a tender something that thrilled her.

She stood white, motionless, against the dim illumination of the porch
until he had gone, and not until the last sound of his motor had died
away did she stir. Then she pressed her own lips to the palm he had
caressed and walked slowly to her room.

XXII

WHAT ELLSWORTH HAD TO SAY

On his way to Brownsville the next morning Dave found himself still
somewhat dazed by his sudden happiness; the more he thought of it the
more wonderful it seemed. During the day he went through his court
duties like a man in a trance. Such joy as this was unbelievable; he
felt as if he must tell the world about it. He well understood Alaire's
repugnance to divorce, but he was sure that he could overcome it, if
indeed her own truer understanding of herself did not relieve him of
that necessity; for at this moment his desires were of a heat
sufficient to burn away all obstacles, no matter how solid. It seemed,
therefore, that the future was all sunshine.

He had no opportunity of speaking with Judge Ellsworth until court
adjourned. Then the judge took him by the arm, with that peculiarly
flattering assumption of intimacy of which he was master, and led the
way toward his office, inquiring meanwhile for news of Jonesville.
Dave's high spirits surprised him and finally impelled him to ask the
cause. When Dave hinted unmistakably at the truth, Ellsworth exclaimed,
with a sharp stare of curiosity:

"See here! You haven't forgotten what I told you that ni