, ungloved hand toward me, and then I came to
myself, and, hearing the wind and rain, and remembering the lonely road
to the station, I said to her:

"Stay, Daisy, I cannot let you go alone. Miss Hamilton will watch with
Guy while I go with you."

"And who will go with you? It will be just as dark and rainy then," she
said; but she made no objection to my plan, and in less than five
minutes Julia, who always slept in her dressing-gown so as to be ready
for any emergency, was sitting by Guy, and I was out in the dark night
with Daisy and our watchdog Leo, who, at sight of his old playmate, had
leaped upon her and nearly knocked her down in his joy.

"Leo is glad to see me," Daisy said, patting the dumb creature's head,
and in her voice there was a rebuking tone, which I resented silently.

I was not glad to see her, and I could not act a part, but I wrapped my
waterproof around her and adjusted the hood over her flowing hair, and
thought how beautiful she was, even in that disfiguring garb, and then
we went on our way, the young creature clinging close to me as peal
after peal of thunder rolled over our heads, and gleams of lightning lit
up the inky sky. She did not speak to me, nor I to her, till the red
light on the track was in sight, and we knew the train was coming. Then
she asked timidly. "Do you think Guy will die?"

"Heaven only knows," I said, checking a strong impulse to add: "If he
does, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you killed him."

I was glad now that I did not say it. And I was glad then, when Daisy,
alarmed perhaps by something in the tone of my voice, repeated her
question:

"But do you think he will die? If I thought he would I should wish to
die, too. I like him, Miss Frances, better than anyone I ever saw; like
him now as well as I ever did, but I do not want to be his wife, nor
anybody's wife, and that is just the truth. I am sorry he ever saw me
and loved me so well. Tell him that, Fanny."

It was Fanny again and she grasped my hand nervously, for the train was
upon us.

"Promise me solemnly that if you think he is surely going to die you
will let me know in time to see him once more. Promise--quick--and kiss
me as a pledge."

The train had stopped. There was not a moment to lose, and I promised,
and kissed the red lips in the darkness, and felt a remorseful pang when
I saw the little figure go alone into the car which bore her swiftly
away, while I turned my steps homew