least unhealthy, only
tired and down-hearted. For her eyes, though light in color, were clear
and bright, and the lips of her large, firmly modeled mouth bright red.
She wore a handsome and becoming gray cloth dress and a soft white
blouse, her gray hat having a white feather stuck through a band of
folded silk. The coolness and simplicity of her toilet was refreshing in
the warmth of the late June day and a pleasant contrast to the brighter
colors affected by the German Frauen and Fraeulein.

Finally the girl opened her roll of music and taking out a sheet began
slowly reading it over to herself. Then her dejection appeared to
deepen, for eventually the tears rolled down her cheeks. She continued
holding up her music in order to shield herself from observation. Even
when she was disturbed by hearing some one sit down beside her on the
bench, she did not dare turn her head.

But the figure deliberately moved closer and before she could protest
had actually taken the sheet of paper out of her hands.

"Esther, my dear, what is the matter with you? Have you no home and no
friends, that you have to shed your tears in the public streets?" a
slightly amused though sympathetic voice demanded.

Naturally Esther started. But the next instant she was shaking her head
reproachfully. "Dr. Ashton, however in the world did you manage to
discover me?" she demanded. "I am resting here for the special pleasure
of being miserable all by myself. For I knew if I went back to the
pension Betty and your mother would find me out. And the worst of it is
that neither one of them understands in the least why I am unhappy.
Betty is really angry and I am afraid that Mrs. Ashton thinks I am
stupid and ungrateful."

Instead of replying, Richard Ashton picked up Esther's hand and slipped
it through his own arm. He looked a good deal older than his companion.
For he was now a graduated physician with three years of added foreign
experience, and besides his natural seriousness he wore the reserved,
thoughtful air peculiar to his profession. So his present attitude
toward Esther Crippen seemed that of an older friend.

"I don't know what you are talking about or what dark secret you seem to
be trying to conceal," he returned. "All that I do know is that I have
been sent out to find you and that you are please to come home with me.
Betty and mother have been expecting you to return from your music
lesson for an hour. And Betty is so in the habit o